Renewable energy technology has improved immensely in recent times and may provide opportunities for farming businesses to further diversify their revenue streams.
Businesses transitioning to allow the next generation to enter the business have traditionally invested in more land, but there is a growing proportion investing in intensive livestock systems including poultry sheds.
BCG CEO, Chris Sounness, explained that not only do these intensive industries allow for the next generation to join the business, but include added benefits for the local community.
“$2 to $3 million investment in land versus an investment in intensive chickens has a comparable return, but the added benefit of diversification, an income stream less affected by climate variability, and increased members in the local community are positive,” Mr Sounness said.
“But, one of the large financial outlays with intensive poultry sheds is the electrical bill associated with keeping the temperature constant.”
Reducing the $50,000 to $100,000 per annum electricity bill is where the opportunities for renewable energy will be beneficial.
A solar microgrid enables producers to use their roof space to create energy that they can firstly use in their own operations, but then with the use of batteries, sell energy back into the main electricity grid.
“Just like grain, the price of energy on the wholesale market fluctuates. With the use of batteries and software, electricity can be sold back into the grid when the price is high,” says Mr Sounness.
“Innovative projects in the microgrid space supports the sustainability of farming communities to mitigate climate change risks by building grower capability and capacity to implement renewable energy technology in their business.”
The Victorian State Government Microgrid Demonstration Initiative (MDI) which aims to ‘showcase the use of energy storage in different settings and in combination with complementary technologies’, will see BCG explore the potential for growers who have diversified into intensive animal industries to apply microgrid technology to their farming business
With the assistance of advanced energy technology company, SwitchDin, commercial microgrid developer, Walnut Energy and Wade’s Horsham, 51kW solar and 137kW battery microgrid is being installed on the rooves of the BCG office.
“The system that is being installed on the office and laboratory will enable BCG to display, test and try the microgrid technology and demonstrate the learnings to local growers throughout the Wimmera and Mallee,” Mr Sounness said.
For more information about the microgrid project, phone BCG on 03 5492 2787.
This article was published in the Stock and Land, 13 December 2018.
