FARMERS- Farm and Rural Energy from Renewable Sources
Lead Research Organisation:
Harper Adams University
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
The Farming and Rural Mixed Energy from Renewable Sources project (FARMERS) explores the feasibility of using
integrated energy systems to lessen energy costs of rural communities (relative to urban ones). It will research adaptation
of methods to optimise the use of energy in farms and rural communities, reduce CO2 emissions by using renewables and
biomass CHP instead of fossil fuels, with energy storage to control and balance loads on rural distribution networks, saving
costly reinforcement for high loads from farm processes, electric vehicles or large intermittent renewable feeds and enable
greater use of renewable generation around rural communities. FARMERS will use renewable generation at Harper Adams
University and in local properties to test, adapt and demonstrate optimisation software models, hardware implementation,
to identify solutions for farmers and rural communities to install and integrate renewables while using local energy storage
to balance energy use and optimise the value of energy to rural communities. FARMERS will deliver optimisation models,
systems guidelines for rural energy networks and establish business cases, consultancy and models for widespread
replication.
integrated energy systems to lessen energy costs of rural communities (relative to urban ones). It will research adaptation
of methods to optimise the use of energy in farms and rural communities, reduce CO2 emissions by using renewables and
biomass CHP instead of fossil fuels, with energy storage to control and balance loads on rural distribution networks, saving
costly reinforcement for high loads from farm processes, electric vehicles or large intermittent renewable feeds and enable
greater use of renewable generation around rural communities. FARMERS will use renewable generation at Harper Adams
University and in local properties to test, adapt and demonstrate optimisation software models, hardware implementation,
to identify solutions for farmers and rural communities to install and integrate renewables while using local energy storage
to balance energy use and optimise the value of energy to rural communities. FARMERS will deliver optimisation models,
systems guidelines for rural energy networks and establish business cases, consultancy and models for widespread
replication.
Planned Impact
The market for energy in the UK in 2012-13 was £187,005 Million (see Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2013), the domestic
market was £33,485 Million (Electricity £15,570 Million) and Agriculture £690 Million. 6 Energy Supply Companies (ESCOs)
dominate the market, limited generation capacity drives highly variable wholesale energy prices but energy is an inflexibly priced commodity to consumers. Energy used by agriculture and rural communities is around 2.5% of the total market, but
with higher use of oil based energy, the % CO2 emission is higher than national average. Much UK renewable generation
could be in rural areas (UK 2020 target approx 50-70 TWhs - possibly more than consumption) but local resistance to large
scale rural renewables drives offshore generation. Onshore is more cost effective and with local benefits may overcome
local resistance. If the hypothesis of the FARMERS project is feasible, it could become a valuable benefit sought by
communities.
The partners expect rural integrated energy systems to save 5% (see Benefits) of the cost of this energy (£32M for farming
alone) and deliver up to 10% of rural installations by 2020; since by characterising systems and infrastructure at farm and
rural energy system level, it will show how to: utilise, manage and balance all the potential energy sources, stores and
loads for communities; help balance distribution grids; direct local renewable energy to rural communities; and provide
marketable benefits to rural consumers and farmers.
If the project outcomes show feasibility, the potential ROI is many times project cost (See Appendix A). Partner Sharenergy
Co-op, a NfP facilitator of renewable energy co-operatives, provides a route to market which could include service support
for optimising software and marketing, implementation and management of integrated rural energy systems. By validating
an integrated service solution through renewable generation installation, storage, charging points and load control for
participating communities, the partners anticipate a potential 10% market share of installations in each of many 100s of
buildings/businesses/farms/homes in any rural integrated energy system, the potential value becomes many 10s of £ks per
implementation. The study will estimate the aggregated value of multiple rural systems leading to combined loads at large
energy user levels, tradable on wholesale energy markets (i.e. managing energy costs, hedging future supplies, minimising
consumption during triads) lessening costs to rural users. Because of its size and its ability to generate its own energy and
reduce load during triad periods, HAU, as host to the project, will be able to demonstrate an integrated rural energy network
and show the benefits of a large rural energy user. (sources, DECC, Ofgem, EDF Energy, Flexitricity).
market was £33,485 Million (Electricity £15,570 Million) and Agriculture £690 Million. 6 Energy Supply Companies (ESCOs)
dominate the market, limited generation capacity drives highly variable wholesale energy prices but energy is an inflexibly priced commodity to consumers. Energy used by agriculture and rural communities is around 2.5% of the total market, but
with higher use of oil based energy, the % CO2 emission is higher than national average. Much UK renewable generation
could be in rural areas (UK 2020 target approx 50-70 TWhs - possibly more than consumption) but local resistance to large
scale rural renewables drives offshore generation. Onshore is more cost effective and with local benefits may overcome
local resistance. If the hypothesis of the FARMERS project is feasible, it could become a valuable benefit sought by
communities.
The partners expect rural integrated energy systems to save 5% (see Benefits) of the cost of this energy (£32M for farming
alone) and deliver up to 10% of rural installations by 2020; since by characterising systems and infrastructure at farm and
rural energy system level, it will show how to: utilise, manage and balance all the potential energy sources, stores and
loads for communities; help balance distribution grids; direct local renewable energy to rural communities; and provide
marketable benefits to rural consumers and farmers.
If the project outcomes show feasibility, the potential ROI is many times project cost (See Appendix A). Partner Sharenergy
Co-op, a NfP facilitator of renewable energy co-operatives, provides a route to market which could include service support
for optimising software and marketing, implementation and management of integrated rural energy systems. By validating
an integrated service solution through renewable generation installation, storage, charging points and load control for
participating communities, the partners anticipate a potential 10% market share of installations in each of many 100s of
buildings/businesses/farms/homes in any rural integrated energy system, the potential value becomes many 10s of £ks per
implementation. The study will estimate the aggregated value of multiple rural systems leading to combined loads at large
energy user levels, tradable on wholesale energy markets (i.e. managing energy costs, hedging future supplies, minimising
consumption during triads) lessening costs to rural users. Because of its size and its ability to generate its own energy and
reduce load during triad periods, HAU, as host to the project, will be able to demonstrate an integrated rural energy network
and show the benefits of a large rural energy user. (sources, DECC, Ofgem, EDF Energy, Flexitricity).
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Sven Peets (Principal Investigator) | |
| Daniel May (Co-Investigator) |
| Description | Comprehensive knowledge about farm and rural energy generation, distribution, load profiles and tariffs. Detailed load profiles on the example of a university campus in a rural location based on actual consumed energy, theoretical profiles and audited sites. Electrical energy data was obtained from an existing building energy management system (half hourly metered) and by installing a three-phase energy logger on farms (high resolution itemised electrical load data). The results of dairy (300 herd rotary parlour milking) demonstrate coincidence of peak demand and high tariffs. Modelling total load shifting to avoid high cost periods demonstrates significant savings if considering purely the cost of energy. The cost benefit also requires detailed knowledge of the production process and this has been studied in detail for dairy. Although battery storage is being installed commercially for grid support services, the price is not yet viable for local installation in combination with renewable energy schemes, e.g. photovoltaic (PV) to enable more on site use. A range of case studies of five commercial UK dairy farms and six arable farms were conducted. The dairy farms were 120 - 400 of herd size, one robotic milking and three parlour milking type. All farms used solar PV renewable generation (capacity 10 kW - 650 kW). The following loads were matched to renewable generation: refrigeration, ice builder, compressors, some parlour motor loads, compressors, fans and some hot water demand. The 650 kW solar PV farm was a net exporter to the grid. The six arable farms were the following types: grain drying and potatoes (two), grain drying and mixed arable (two), mixed arable and potatoes (one) and mixed arable (one). Similarly, all farms used solar PV renewable generation (capacity 40 kW - 250 kW). One grain drying and potatoes farms used two wind turbines (11 and 20 kW), and the mixed arable and potatoes farm used a 500 kW wind turbine (also 250 kW solar PV). All farms had matched the grain drying equipment and potato chillers electrical loads to renewable generation. The farm with the 250 kW solar PV and 500 kW wind turbine was a net exporter of electrical energy consuming 1/3 of its own renewably generated electrical energy. The results demonstrate there is scope and practical application of load matching in farm energy systems. |
| Exploitation Route | Reduce the cost of energy in rural communities. Reduce the carbon footprint in rural communities. Optimise local electrical energy grid. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Energy,Environment |
| Description | The findings of the project have been used by a commercial partner to develop a new energy optimisation product aimed at agricultural producers and processors. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Project dissemination event to university staff |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | 20 staff members of the university attended the dissemination event which resulted in interesting discussions in the subject area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Project dissemination event to university students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A small group of undergraduate students attended the project dissemination event. There was some interesting exchange of thoughts and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |