Queensland Nurseries
Energy Savings: 20% | Cost Savings: $199,520 | Capital Cost: $878,489 | CO2 Savings: 564 | Project Status: proposed
Industry:
Nursery and garden
Location:
Queensland
Pump Type:
Not applicable
Irrigation Type:
Not applicable
Technology:
Batteries and Storage, Heating, Irrigation and Pumps, Lighting, Motors and Fans, Solar Power and Renewables, Variable Speed Drives
The total energy consumption from the measured areas on the 24 nurseries was 3,541,751kWh at an annual cost of $449,783, resulting in emissions of 2,869 tonnes of CO2-e.
Opportunities: the main opportunities identified in the Nurseries include
- Pumping and Irrigation- Savings from Variable Speed Drive installation, pump replacements and maintenance. Changes to irrigation design and automation.
- Heating Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC)– Maintenance and upgrades of condenser motor, VSD, ventilation fan and heating.
- Lighting and General- Replacement and retrofitting of lights with LEDs, infrastructure upgrades to facilitate efficiency gains and general management changes.
- Solar and Batteries– Grid-connected and standalone.
- Solar Systems- Ranging in size from 5-100kW systems.
Table 1. Technology Recommendations and Savings in the Nursery Industry.
| Recommendation | Total | Energy Savings (kWh) | Cost Savings ($) | Capital Cost ($) | Average Payback (Years) | Emission Reduction (tCO2-e) |
Pumping and Irrigation Upgrades |
10 | 29,653 | 16,789 | 62,318 | 13.5 | 24 |
HVAC |
18 | 102,480 | 32,198 | 169,846 | 5.1 | 83 |
Lighting and General |
30 | 73,251 | 22,538 | 94,773 | 5.2 | 59 |
Solar and Batteries |
1 | 7,053 | 2,911 | 24,168 | 8.3 | 6 |
Solar Systems |
20 | 483,696 | 125,084 | 527,384 | 4.7 | 392 |
Total |
79 |
696,133 | 199,520 | 878,489 | 7.3 | 564 |
Total Recommendations |
665 | 7,459,015 | 2,817,342 | 12,784,670 | 6.85 | 6,042 |
Table 1 highlights the potential energy savings of 696,133kWh identified in the audits.
Including production benefits, a saving of $199,520 and an estimated 564 tonnes of CO2-e could be avoided per annum. At a capital cost of $878,489, the average payback was 7.3 years.
Additional value adding from the energy audits showed how an increase in water delivery, could increase production and profit with a reduction in energy consumed per unit of output.
Table 2. Pre and Post Audit Metrics.
| Metric | Pre-Audits | Post- Audits | Reduction (%) |
Energy Consumption (kWh) |
3,541,751 | 2,845,618 | 20% |
Energy Costs ($) |
449,783 | 250,263 | 44% |
Emissions (tCO2-e) |
2,869 | 2,305 | 20% |
As the installation of the recommendations is made within the industry, measurement and verification will be undertaken, and case studies will be updated to include the actual energy savings.
Energy Efficiency for your Industry and Business
An energy audit is a great way for a business to cut costs, reduce emissions and boost productivity.
The Energy Savers Plus Extension Program was delivered by the Queensland Farmers' Federation with support and funding from the Queensland Department of Energy and Public Works.
