project - Research and innovation
Good energy management for a better farm and improved environment
Good energy management for a better farm and improved environment
Objectives
The farming sector is suffering from the impacts of climate change, and at the same time, the sector is also contributing to it, being a source of greenhouse gas emissions. The LIFE+ AgriClimateChange sought to identify the farming practices that best contribute to mitigating climate change at farm level. In addition, it aimed to demonstrate that agriculture can tackle climate change effectively and that these climate-friendly actions are not necessarily a constraint, but they can be an economic opportunity for farmers.
Hence, promoting farming systems that combat climate change is a powerful strategy to improve climate conditions, to preserve nature and to increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
Objectives
N/A
Activities
The project evaluated the energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and carbon storage of over 120 farms. This helped to identify aspects where these farms could improve their management and, in some cases, to find savings opportunities related to these improvements. After the assessment, action plans were developed for each farm, aiming to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by between 10 to 40%.
These plans included a list of measures, discussed and agreed with the farmer, that were implemented with the support of the project. The results and lessons obtained through the project led to a range of proposals for action applicable at different scales, ranging from recommendations for EU policy to actions that farmers can take.
Activities
N/A
Additional comments
This summary is based on the Brochure "Climate Friendly Agriculture". Please note that all publications and results by the project may be found at the end of the main page. Some of them are available in different languages (usually English, French, German, Italian and/or Spanish).
For the detailed description of each mitigation measure from the farmer`s perspective, including potential benefits, feasibility in terms of complexity or costs, etc. you can check the following publications
- Guidelines-Manual "Measures at farm level to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from EU agriculture"
- Guidelines-Manual "General proposals for the EU to fight against climate change”
Additional information
Through the assessment of over 120 farms in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, the project designed and implemented a set of measures to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by between 10 to 40%.
The recommendations include a set of measures related to the use of energy (fossil and renewable) on the farm:
- The first advice is to increase the use of solar panels. In the short term, the roof surfaces, which are quite large on many farms, can be used to install panels to produce electricity or hot water.
- For livestock farms, biogas may also be an alternative to consider. The production of biogas from manure is currently well-developed and especially suitable for cattle and pig farms due to the characteristics of their manure. The energetic gains can be even bigger if the heat generated during biogas production is re-used.
- Finally, the farmer should consider a third type of renewable energy, biomass, especially if the farm is producing this fuel. The aim is also to reduce the use of fossil fuel.
The two last recommendations are to renew old equipment, replacing it for equipment with better energy performance (e.g. machinery with electric motors), and adjusting the way tractors are driven to reduce fuel consumption.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Other EU research and development funds
- Project acronym
- AgriClimateChange
- Agricultural sectors
- Not relevant
Contacts
Project coordinator
-
Fundación Global Nature
Project coordinator