Energy Savings

Farming and ranching can be energy intensive operations but reducing those energy uses may require a little investigation.  The energy uses with the greatest potential for savings on a farm are in livestock housing, grain drying and irrigation.  The North Dakota State University extension Service developed a Farmstead Energy Audit that provides information on areas on a farm or ranch to look for energy savings. Field operations use considerable fuel and the best way to reduce energy use is to reduce the number of passes through the field with conservation tillage practices.

Agricultural Machinery 

Energy savings in agricultural machinery can be accomplished in a variety of ways.  The NDSU Ag Machinery page provides a wide variety on information on efficient farming using the newest technology.

Farm Energy Production

The BioFuelspage provides a wealth of information about ethanol and biodiesel production and the crops that are used in the process.

For more information on farm and ranch biofuels go here.

For information on producing energy on the farm or ranch from wind resources consult the NDSU Extension wind page