This document discusses energy audits and modeling for agriculture operations. It addresses estimating energy savings from equipment upgrades, the disconnect that can occur between auditors and installers, and the importance of verification to ensure projected savings are achieved. Examples are provided showing potential savings from improvements like plate coolers, circulation fans, ventilation fans, and lighting upgrades. It emphasizes that producers should understand expected savings and have installations verified by an independent party to receive promised performance.

1. GDS Associates, Inc.
ENGINEERS & CONSULTANTS
CONSERVATION MODELING AND VERIFICATION IN AGRICULTURE
OPERATIONS

2. AGRICULTURE ENERGY AUDITS
 Required for some federal, state, utility
programs
 Recommend EE options for the business
 May be based on auditor/producer/
utility/state/equipment dealer/BMP
preferences

3. AGRICULTURE ENERGY AUDITS
 Used for:
o Finding energy and cost savings
o Acquiring incentives/payments/grants for
improvements
o Encourage equipment sales

4. ESTIMATING ENERGY SAVINGS
 Who is doing the modeling and
calculations for energy savings?
o Done by independent 3rd parties
o Done by equipment dealers
o Done using university tools

5. ESTIMATING ENERGY SAVINGS
 http://ruralenergy.wisc.edu/default.aspx
 http://maec.msu.edu/farmenergy/calcul
ators.html
 Proprietary tools

6. ENERGY SAVINGS
 Energy audit is complete and producer
installs recommendations
 How can he/she be sure they are getting
what they paid for?
 How can an EE program be sure they are
getting the savings they are paying
incentives for?

7. THE DISCONNECT
 Disconnect between person doing
energy audit, equipment dealer, and
installer
 Energy savings and system performance
vary based upon design changes and
control set points that may appear minor

8. PLATE COOLER ON DAIRY FARM
0 40,000 80,000 120,000
Green Bay, WI
55⁰ well water
Charlotte, NC
65⁰ well water
Duluth, MN
45⁰ well water
Sacramento, CA
70⁰ well water
Annual kWh Usage
Analysis of Plate Coolers
Baseline - no plate cooler kWh
Milk enter bulk tank within 15°F of well water temp (0.5" water line)
Milk enter bulk tank within 7°F of well water temp (0.75" water line)
Milk enter bulk tank within 2°F of well water temp (1.25" water line)

9. PLATE COOLER ON DAIRY FARM
0 40,000 80,000 120,000
Green Bay, WI
55⁰ well water
Charlotte, NC
65⁰ well water
Duluth, MN
45⁰ well water
Sacramento, CA
70⁰ well water
Annual kWh Usage
Analysis of Plate Coolers
Baseline - no plate cooler kWh
Milk enter bulk tank within 15°F of well water temp (0.5" water line)
Milk enter bulk tank within 7°F of well water temp (0.75" water line)
Milk enter bulk tank within 2°F of well water temp (1.25" water line)
59% savings from 15 to 2
41% savings from 15 to 2
27% savings from 15 to 2
25% savings from 15 to 2

10. HVLS FANS
0 4,000 8,000 12,000
Pocatello, ID
Green Bay, WI
Knoxville, TN
Redding, CA
Annual kWh Usage
Analysis of 3, 24-foot Circulation (HVLS) Fans
Manual Control Automated Control Detailed and Tuned Automated Control
23% Savings
23% Savings
30% Savings
20% Savings

11. VENTILATION FANS
0 40,000 80,000 120,000
Pocatello, ID
Green Bay, WI
Knoxville, TN
Redding, CA
Annual kWh Usage
Analysis of 24 Tunnel Ventilation Fans
Manual Control Basic Automated Control Detailed and Tuned Automated Control
14% Savings
13% Savings
16% Savings
13% Savings

12. LIGHTING
 Must know desired lighting levels and
height before getting bids
 Lighting layouts can help verify new
lighting will meet desired lighting
 How reasonable are the layouts?
 No requirements for lighting, only
recommendations

13. LIGHTING LAYOUT

14. VERIFICATION
 Producer should get energy savings
verified by independent 3rd party
 Hold back of final payment installation
until verification is complete
 If not getting what paid for equipment
dealer/installer fix before receiving
payment

15. CONCLUSIONS
 Producer should know what he can
expect from new equipment
 Need to remove disconnect between
energy auditor, equipment dealer, and
installer
 Need to verify what is installed is going to
give producer what is expected

16. QUESTIONS?

17. CONTACT INFORMATION
Bethany Reinholtz, CEM, CWEP
608.354.0188
bethany.reinholtz@gdsassociates.com

18. GDS Associates, Inc.
ENGINEERS & CONSULTANTS