ACEEE
NEWS RELEASE
ACEEE
RELEASES THREE REPORTS ON AGRICULTURE:
ENERGY SAVINGS CAN HELP SMALLER FARMS AND RANCHES SURVIVE
For further information,
contact: Neal Elliott at
202-478-7707 or Glee Murray
at 202-478-7712
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
April 20, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The American Council for an Energy-Efficient
Economy (ACEEE) released three major reports today on energy use
in agriculture. They cover how major energy sources are used on
farms, estimate the potential savings available from energy efficiency,
and review a total of 52 energy efficiency programs nationwide that
are implementing savings in the agricultural sector.
"These
reports provide a renewed focus on the energy use of farms and ranches,
and in rural communities across the country," said Dr. Neal
Elliott, co-author of the reports and ACEEE's Industrial and Agricultural
Program Director. "Energy costs—both directly in the form
of diesel fuel and electricity, and indirectly in the form of fertilizer
and chemicals—are squeezing too many farmers and ranchers too
hard. With energy prices continuing to rise, we could face a real
crisis in the near future."
The first of
the reports, On-Farm Energy Use Characterizations,
highlights significant regional variation in both the mix of farm-type
and in the use of energy found from state to state. The report points
out many gaps in our knowledge of energy use in the agricultural
sector, despite the continuing efforts of USDA's data collection.
Detailed profiles were compiled at the national level as well as
for California, Florida, Kansas, New York, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
The analysis
results reported on in the second report, Potential
Energy Efficiency Savings in the Agriculture Sector, indicate
that the energy savings potential is more than 10% of total energy
expenses nationwide and 35% of savings based on energy end-use that
can be characterized despite gaps in knowledge about agricultural
energy use. "Energy represents a greater fraction of operating
expenses for the agricultural sector than all but the most energy-intensive
manufacturing industries," said Elliott. "With savings
opportunities of this magnitude, energy efficiency programs could
help counter the economic effects of rising energy prices."
While the number
of energy efficiency programs targeted at agriculture has fallen
in the past decade, the 52 programs profiled in the last report,
Energy Efficiency Programs in Agriculture:
Design, Success, and Lessons Learned, demonstrate that models
exist for effective energy efficiency programs targeted at farmers
and ranchers. While the program approaches vary, with some focusing
on particular applications such as irrigation and others focusing
on a particular sub-sector such as dairy, the authors found that
tailoring the program to meet the unique needs of the local, target
audience and working through existing channels is the key to success.
"Energy
use in agriculture has been neglected for more than a decade, in
part as a result of low energy prices," said Steven Nadel,
ACEEE's Executive Director. "ACEEE anticipated the increases
in energy prices and has been active in reinvigorating interest
in energy issues in agriculture. We worked with the Senate Agriculture
Committee in crafting the energy title (Title IX) of the 2002 Farm
Bill. Since the bill's passage, we have sought to provide information
on energy efficiency opportunities in the agricultural sector, and
to identify successful program strategies."
ACEEE's work
on energy in agriculture will expand this fall with a "Forum
on Energy Efficiency in Agriculture" to be held in Des Moines,
Iowa, November 13—15, 2005. "We're organizing the conference
so that the energy efficiency community can come together with the
agricultural community to develop programs that can bolster the
economic viability of the agricultural sector in the face of uncertain
energy times," said Glee Murray, ACEEE's Communications Director
and co-leader of agricultural activities. "Our work shows that
there is much economic potential to be realized through coordinated
action. We hope that the relationships built at the forum will begin
to realize that potential."
The Host Sponsor
for the "Forum on Energy Efficiency in Agriculture" is
the Iowa Energy Center, with support from the Iowa State University
Agricultural Extension Service. For more information on the Forum,
visit http://aceee.org/conf/af05/af05index.htm.
To learn more
about ACEEE's agricultural projects and to download copies of all
three reports, visit http://aceee.org/industry/agriculture.htm.
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About ACEEE: The American Council
for an Energy-Efficient Economy is an independent, nonprofit organization
dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting
both economic prosperity and environmental protection. For information
about ACEEE and its programs and publications, contact ACEEE, 1001
Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 801, Washington, D.C. 20036-5525
or visit http://aceee.org
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