What is an energy audit and why is it something those working in an agriculture should take a closer look at?
The Three Hills and District Seed Cleaning Plant has faithfully served its local farm community since 1958. However, a series of energy audits over the last handful of years showed that the equipment — much of which hasn’t been upgraded since the plant relocated to the west side of town in 1991 — was woefully energy inefficient.
Last fall, the Three Hills Plant underwent a major renovation to more than double grain handling capacity. The upgrades proved the perfect opportunity to dramatically improve energy use efficiency too.
Plant manager Greg Andrews says the efficiency upgrades should pay for themselves through decreased power usage within five or fewer years. It’s an investment he recommends other large, high energy-use agricultural plants, from seed cleaners to potato storages to grain dryers, consider, and he credits the energy audits for starting it all.
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