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A SENSE OF AFRICA
Energy efficiency in farming – Crucial
Farming in SouthAfrica, as in many parts
of the world, is faced with severe drought
conditions and steadily increasing costs
on all fronts. Labour, infrastructure, equip-
ment, transport, energy, livestock and
seed stock are becoming more and more
expensive. Farmers’ need to counterbal-
ance these threats requires new business
strategies to reduce operating costs,
compete more effectively and comply
with increasingly strict environmental
standards whilst increasing productivity
and improving quality.
As a result, Eskom has been doing
extensive research on energy efficient
farming and how to best support South
Africa’s farmers and all other types of
agro-businesses with energy efficiency
advice.
Agriculture – farming operations plus
the processing, packaging and other
support industries comprising the sector
- consumes 6 000 GWh (gigawatt hours)
of electricity per year, 4% of the national
total. Although far less than the 148 000
GWh consumed by the industrial sector,
powering the agricultural sector is of
strategic importance to the long-term
socio-economic wellbeing of our country.
Apart from the fact that millions of people
are directly or indirectly dependent on
agriculture for their livelihoods, the sector
is key to our nation’s food security and
foreign currency-generating food exports.
49M, the local movement that calls on
all South Africans to switch to energy ef-
ficient business practices and lifestyles,
encourages farmers to conduct energy
use assessments as a starting point to
improving the energy efficiency of their
operations.Through this assessment pro-
cess, data on a farm’s energy consump-
tion and associated costs can be collected
and analysed as a basis for change on
four fronts:
• Changing energy use behaviour
• Streamlining operations
• Improving maintenance procedures
• Switching to energy efficient tech-
nologies, including renewable energy
solutions
Energy use assessments typically analyse
electricity bills, usage data and all electric
equipment and processes specific to the
operation of a particular farm. Likely rec-
ommendations for technology retrofits
and equipment upgrades could include:
• Lighting – optimising inefficient light-
ing systems by fitting energy efficient
component alternatives such as Com-
pact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), Light
Emitting Diodes (LEDs), T-5 systems,
electronic control gear, lighting sen-
sors and daylight harvesters
• Motors – replacing outdated, inef-
ficient or over-sized motors with
energy efficient alternatives and in-
stalling Variable Speed Drives (VSDs),
where applicable
• Pumps – replacing inefficient pumps
with energy efficient alternatives and
operating them in an optimal configu-
ration with correctly sizedmotors and
VSDs, where applicable
• Renewable energy – utilising alterna-
tive energy sources such as solar water
heating systems,micro-hydro schemes
and photovoltaic installations
Tariffs
Importantly, and as a starting point, farm-
ers are advised to check which electricity
tariff they are billed at; there could be an
opportunity to reduce energy costs by
moving to a more cost effective structure.
Moreover, shifting energy intensive opera-
tions outside periods of peak demand for
electricity couldmean paying lower tariffs.
Testimonial
An Eskom Energy Advisor
conducted an energy use as-
sessment on the farm of
Kosie and his son Manie
Eloff outside Soekme-
kaar in Limpopo Prov-
ince. The assessment
showed that irrigation accounts for 61%
of their electricity bill. The Eloffs have 14
pumps of varying sizes, some of which
could save electricity by using Variable
Speed Drives. Costly, and a new technol-
ogy in the eyes of many farmers, Kosie
and Manie decided to invest in a VSD.
• The VSD was installed on a 45 kW
motor
• The throttles that change the flow
and pressure as the irrigation load
changes were removed
The installation reduced energy demand
from 18,9 kW to 13,2 kW, a saving of
almost 30%. Owing to this improvement
in energy efficiency, the Eloffs are now
investigating the savings potential of the
other 13 pumps on the farm as well.With
agriculture – here and across the world
- grappling with the need to produce
more and more food for both human
and animal consumption in the face of
rising operating costs and increasingly
unpredictable weather patterns, Eskom
will always consider the sector as strategi-
cally important and keep on working hard
to make a contribution towards turning it
electricity smart - one farm and one agro-
business at a time.
Eskom Energy Advisors
Eskom's national Advisory Service can
help locate technology suppliers. The
team can also advise farms and any other
business in the agricultural sector on:
• Reducing energy usage
• Doing walk-through energy assess-
ments to identify energy usage
• Improving the energy efficiency of
operations and electrical systems and
processes
• Prioritising maintenance as an impor-
tant contributor to reducing energy
usage
• Finding SANAS approved energy
savings Measurement & Verification
Authorities
• Advisors also help identify funding
opportunities for energy efficiency
projects
Enquires:Tel. 08600 37566 or email an
enquiry to
Visit for more
information
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