Better Farming - August 2016

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50 Farm News First > Better Farming August 2016
HOWITWORKS
tion can be reduced at a cost that
provides a realistic payback period.
If large motor loadings are
anticipated, especially for new grain
dryers and storage systems, on-site
power generation should be consid-
ered to remove the entire system from
the hydro grid. This is and can be
very effective if natural gas is readily
available. Not only can energy costs
be saved but demand charges can
also be eliminated. In addition,
capital contributions to upgrade
hydro service may be eliminated or
reduced.
Powering off the grid
Most rural farm customers own and
maintain a standby electrical genera-
tor. It is critical for ventilation and
water pumping as well as heating in
the event of a power outage.
However, for large grain-drying
systems, high-horsepower natural
gas-powered generator systems can be
very efficient. The engine powers a
large electrical generator while all of
the engine/generator heat, including
the exhaust, can be used directly for
grain drying. This separate system
can power all of the other electrical
devices, such as aeration fans. This
type of system is not cheap and must
be well designed to ensure that no
electrical back feed occurs.
Based on the concept of total
on-farm power generation I am going
to predict that total “on-peak”
generation systems may be in the
not-too-distant future for many large
livestock operations, especially dairy
units.
Back in 1985, I visited the Mason-
Dixon Farms in Gettysburg, Pennsyl-
GETTY
Consider upgrading large motors on units such as grain dryers.