The energy audit at Australis Plants shows that energy efficiency provides more benefits than bill savings.

Dr Greg O’Sullivan from Australis Plants presented at the 2024 Renewables in Agriculture Conference about how the implementation of an energy audit has resulted in improved productivity as well as energy savings.

A number of the audit recommendations have been implemented and the nursery was able to access a grant that was available at the time to help with implementation.

A case study was written about the project after the savings were measured and it can be read here.

Greg told the attendees in the Energy Audits session that:

• The upgraded irrigation system allows him to irrigate six zones at once rather than two, has reduced pump operating time by one third and now operates during daylight hours.
• The new bore pump can fill the tank in half the time and has a timer so that it only operates during solar generating periods.
• The single aerator nozzle that oxidises soluble iron and manganese was found to be restricting flow and increasing energy consumption so was replaced with 4 new nozzles.

Electricity costs at the nursery had reduced from $7,723 in 2019/20 to $3,223 in 2023/24. As well as that Greg said that:

“The facilitation of expansion and improved productivity hasn’t been factored into the energy savings presented but it would be more significant”

“The solar panels and more efficient and reliable irrigation system has placed us in a better position to increase our production over time”

Australis Plants at Helidon in the Lockyer Valley is wholesale provider of Olive and Ornamental trees.

Find more on-farm energy efficiency case studies here.