Focusing on Farm Energy Use
A professional energy audit of a farm or ranch is similar to an audit of a residence. The auditor and the owner discuss the operation’s energy requirements and together review past energy bills. BTU Engineering, based in Brookings, S.D., has conducted several such audits. After the initial data is analyzed, technicians perform a walk-through inspection of the facility with its owner. “We first focus on the main energy users: lighting, heating and cooling,” said Derek Hengeveld, the company’s vice president.
Energy audits of farms and ranches also incorporate intensive reviews of equipment – “anything that consumes energy,” said Hengeveld. Equipment such as tank heaters, yard lighting, and milk coolers at dairy farms, for example, are audited for energy use. BTU Engineering’s energy audits of agricultural operations can also include assistance in applying for energy efficiency improvement grants from the USDA.
Once energy wasters are identified, engineers from the company make recommendations on how to solve the problems and the feasibility of implementing these cost-saving measures.
Thermography detects defects
Assistance available
South Dakota energy auditors
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