Date post: | 30-May-2018 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | greater-charlotte-harbor-sierra-club |
View: | 216 times |
Download: | 0 times |
of 30
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
1/30
1
Irrigation as if PeopleMattered:
Energy ConservationLessons from Montana
Mike Morris, Ph.D.
Energy Program Project LeaderNational Center for Appropriate Technology
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
2/30
2
About NCAT
National non-profit organization, founded in 1976.
Main offices: Butte, MT, Fayetteville, AR, Davis, CA
Programs: Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, Communities
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
3/30
3
This talk will
Describe how Montana irrigators use energy.
Offer lessons learned from five approaches to
energy conservation.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
4/30
4
Main Conclusions
Irrigation efficiency is not just a technical problem,but has intrinsic human and social dimensions.
Irrigators welcome energy conservation but usually
view it as a secondary consideration.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
5/30
5
10-20 rain and 100-150 frost-free days inmost areas.
Top five crops by cash receipts:wheat, barley, sugar beets, hay, potatoes.
Half of irrigated acreage is hay, of hay
acreage is alfalfa.
Montana Climate and Crops
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
6/30
6
Only 5% of farmland (2 million acres) is irrigated.
Of irrigated acreage, only 1/3 is sprinkler-irrigated. Half of sprinkler-irrigated acreage under pivots.
93% of irrigated acreage irrigated by surface water.
92% of irrigation pumps electric-powered.
Irrigation Methods
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
7/30
7
Water Availability
Most irrigators pay nothing for water.
Chronic water shortages the rule, not the exception.
Water law limits opportunities for conservation.
Informal arrangements, peer pressure often more
important than legal constraints.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
8/30
8
Energy Costs
Electric rates low by national standards, but sharpincreases in recent years.
Average $14.68 - $23.41 per pump-irrigated acre.
NorthWestern Energy 2003-4 irrigation rates:
$8.03 per kW peak demand and $.043 per kWh.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
9/30
9
2002 Crop Values per Acre
Potatoes $2,928 Sugar beets $856
Alfalfa hay $315 Corn $296 All hay $278 Barley $193
Wheat $190 Oats $151
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
10/30
10
Average Irrigation Energy Cost as aPercentage of Crop Value
Potatoes 0.7% Sugar beets 2.7%
Alfalfa hay 7.4% Corn 7.9%
All hay 8.4% Barley 12.1%
Wheat 12.3% Oats 15.5%
Its the crop, stupid.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
11/30
11
Labor Cost and Availability
Average pivot irrigation project cost $67,264,
with energy savings of $1,271 per year.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
12/30
12
Five Approaches to Energy Conservation1. Energy Audits
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
13/30
13
NCAT Experience
Over 400 irrigation energy audits since 1988.
Currently offering no-cost energy audits toNorthWestern Energy irrigation customers.
Measure pressure, flow rate, electrical poweroutput; calculate pumping plant efficiency.
Customer receives report with recommendations,
payback, power bill analysis, incentive offers.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
14/30
14
Most Common Energy-Saving
Recommendations from Audits Replace worn nozzles
Repair leaks
Correct motor overloading problems
Rebuild pump and/or motor
Replace pump and/or motor
Correct discharge problems
Correct suction problems
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
15/30
15
Lessons Learned Audits are highly appreciated, sometimes
desperately needed.
Labor intensive (average cost $672
per audit). Only about half of participants completed
recommended improvements within 1 year.
Equipment improvements do not necessarilylead to energy savings.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
16/30
16
2. Direct Financial Incentives
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
17/30
17
NCAT Experience
Administering cost-sharing program forNorthWestern Energy irrigation customers.
Most common customer project proposals in 2003:
Replace hand or wheel lines with pivots (15)
Replace high-pressure pivot w/low-pressure (8)
Use gravity to reduce horsepower requirements (3)
Replace oversized or inefficient pumps (2)
Install variable frequency drives (2)
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
18/30
18
Lessons Learned
Dollar for dollar, direct incentives save moreenergy than audits.
Evaluation criteria need to be carefully designedfor consistency and fairness.
Working closely with local equipment dealers akey to success.
Gravity conversion is probably the biggestenergy conservation opportunity remaining inMontanas irrigation sector.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
19/30
19
3. Soil Moisture Monitoring
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
20/30
20
The M. K. Hansen AM400 Soil Moisture Data Logger
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
21/30
21
NCAT has helped install over 120 soilmoisture monitoring systems since 2000.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
22/30
22
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
23/30
23
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
24/30
24
Lessons Learned Pivot systems offer the best opportunities for
conservation through improved management.
Poor management is common, but grossoverwatering is less frequent than expected.Only 3-6 of43 study fields clearly exceededannual alfalfa water requirements.
Better water management should be promotedprimarily in terms of crop yield and crop health.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
25/30
25
4. Educational Publications In 2003 NCAT revised and reprinted the
Montana Irrigators Pocket Guide. NCAT has contracted with NRCS to produce a
national edition.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
26/30
26
5. Collaboration with Local Watershed Groups
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
27/30
27
NCAT Experience
Working with local groups in river valleys withchronic water shortages: Big Hole, Blackfoot ,Boulder, Jefferson, Ruby, and Shields.
Goal is to help each group organize and run its own
irrigation efficiency program.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
28/30
28
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
29/30
29
Lessons Learned
Learning in rural communities takes place byimitation and word of mouth.
Groups vary widely.
Progress on irrigation management is most likelyto come from locally-based projects that enable
irrigators to experiment on their own and learnfrom each other.
8/9/2019 Irrigation as if People Mattered Energy Conservation Lessons
30/30
30
For More Information
NCAT: www.ncat.org 1-800-ASK-NCAT
National Sustainable Agriculture InformationService: www.attra.ncat.org 1-800-346-9140