Farm energy storage

How can agricultural producers save energy?

Energy efficiency methods, when properly applied, and the use of farm’s renewable energy sources could assist agricultural producers in saving energy-related costs. Renewable energy resources in the form of solar, biomass, wind, and geothermal energy are abundantly available in the agriculture sector.

Why do farms need a battery?

A battery can allow farms to get off-grid, e.g. in case of a temporary power outage (as back-up or UPS – Uninterruptable Power Supply). Through the use of batteries, farms can offer flexibility to the wider energy system (including through aggregators) for supporting the grid.

What happens if a farm sells its electricity to the grid?

If the farm has to sell its electricity to the grid – at moments when there is an excess production of renewable energy compared to the energy use at that moment on the farm– it will receive the wholesale price as revenue.

What are the different types of energy storage systems?

Energy storage systems include electric batteries (stationary as well as in electric vehicles), pumped hydro systems, power-to-heat systems such as hot water boilers or heat pumps that can convert excess electricity to heat to be stored for later use and power-to-gas systems that convert excess electricity into hydrogen.

What role do farms play in the energy transition?

Farms can play an important role in the energy transition in rural areas and in the sustainable production of food. In contrary to other SMEs or residential houses, farms often have a lot of space to install renewable energy systems like wind or solar energy techniques.

Could Australia's farm dams be used to build small-scale hydro energy storage sites?

Photo: Getty Images. Tens of thousands of small-scale hydro energy storage sites could be built from Australia’s farm dams, supporting the uptake of reliable, low-carbon power systems in rural communities, new UNSW-Sydney-led research suggests.