Website Resource to Learn about Energy Efficiency
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Tools to analyze the impacts of your farm’s energy usage – and its compatibility with newer, renewable energy sources – are just some of the many resources available at the Integration of Renewable Energy on the Farm’s (IReF) website at www.farm-energy.ca – a resource tool funded by the Government of Canada to help farmers move away from conventional energy sources and improve their farm’s sustainability. The site is a repository of technical information and online tools to help individual farms analyze their potential for integrating renewable energy sources and determine the return on their investment.
The website is the result of a four-year partnership between Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Agriculture Canada, and more than 20 agricultural and energy organizations across Canada, and is administrated by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. The site aims to allow Canadian farmers to “take part in the renewable energy revolution,” by providing “an unbiased online source of information and knowledge to farm owners and operators to help them identify potential energy related scenarios that could be economically and environmentally beneficial for their farm operations,” as well as “training and support for the implementation of regional renewable energy resource workshops for the agricultural industry.” The site aims to help farmers understand technology development as well as being a centralized location for information and relevant links to related sites.
The website has comprehensive coverage of technologies such as solar, wind, geoexchange, small hydro and bioenergy, providing detailed information, field reports, and links to related content. You’ll find energy storage information as it relates to the various technologies, modules for calculating the cost and effectiveness of these systems, and an exhaustive list of funding programs and incentives offered through the government’s EcoAction initiative.
Many farmers are interested in making their farms more energy-efficient, but aren’t sure which options are best for them. Energy-efficient solutions are not only good for the environment, but can add up to huge cost savings as fossil fuel costs get higher. The IReF website is a helpful place to get started if you have some knowledge about energy-efficient systems and want to analyze the cost and effectiveness for your farm. You’ll also find lots of helpful energy-saving tips here as we explore different tips and tools for every size farm, so stay tuned!
