Queensland Cotton Farms
Solar Photovoltaic, Irrigation, Pump upgrade, Variable Speed Control, Lighting
This case study summarises the outcomes from audits conducted on 8 Queensland Cotton farms taking part of the Energy Savers Program. Additional benefits of increase in water delivery can improve the profitability of the industry.
The total energy consumption from the measured areas on the eight cotton farms was 886,171kWh at an annual cost of $239,405, resulting in emissions of 718 tonnes of CO2-e. Energy and emission savings have been estimated at around 40%.
Opportunities: the main opportunities identified on Cotton farms include
Pumping and Irrigation- Savings from Variable Speed Drive installation, pump replacements and maintenance, and changes to irrigation design and automation.
Lighting and General- Replacement and retrofitting of lights with LEDs, infrastructure upgrades to facilitate efficiency gains and general management changes.
Solar Systems- Ranging in size from 5-100kW systems.
Table 1. Technology Recommendations and Savings in the Cotton Industry.
Recommendation Total Energy Savings (kWh) Cost Savings ($) Capital Cost ($) Average Payback (Years)
Emission Reductions (tCO2-e)
Pumping and Irrigation Upgrades
11 154,415 32,282 177,610 6.6
Lighting and General
1 N/A 1,000 1,000 0.4
352,740 106,589 488,240 3.6
Total Recommendations
(All sectors)
665 7,459,015 2,817,342 12,784,670 6.85
Table 1 highlights the potential energy savings of 352,740kWh identified in the audits.
Cost savings of $106,589 and an estimated 286 tonnes of CO2-e could be avoided per annum. At a capital cost of $488,240, the average payback was 3.6 years.
Additional value adding from the energy audits showed how an increase in water delivery, could increase production and profit with a reduction in energy consumed per unit of output.
Table 2. Pre and Post Audit Metrics.
Metric Pre-Audits Post- Audits
Reduction (%)
Energy Consumption (kWh)
Energy Costs ($)
Emissions (tCO2-e)
As the installation of the recommendations is made within the industry, measurement and verification will be undertaken, and case studies will be updated to include the actual energy savings.
Energy Efficiency for your Industry and Business
An energy audit is a great way for a business to identify the most effective way to cut costs, reduce emissions and boost productivity.
The audits show that there are significant opportunities in the cotton industry to improve energy efficiency by investigating the pumping and irrigation systems as well as by implementing solar systems. A cotton farm in Brookstead has saved $1,200 per year by upgrading a pump system at a capital cost of $3,000, to see more details click HERE.
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The Energy Savers Plus Extension Program is delivered by the Queensland Farmers Federation with support and funding from the Queensland Department of Energy and Public Works.