Agricultural Sector - Case Studies
Controlling electricity costs on the farm
The Jantzis, who have operated the family farm in the Kitchener-Waterloo region for
over 30 years, recently took time out from running their farrowing and poultry farm to
talk about the importance of controlling electricity costs.
With 60 percent of their costs in feed and another 25 percent in labour, reducing their
electricity costs has become increasingly important in business decisions.
“We’ve always been looking at ways to lower the cost of production,” says Gerald. “You can’t
do much at the other end (sales).”
The hydro bill has been a concern, even back in the 1980s when the cost of electricity was
eight cents a kilowatt hour (kWh) (compared to 13 cents today), he explains.
With extremely environmentally sensitive animals like pigs, the challenge is to reduce costs
without compromising animal comfort and health. Piglets and sows require different temperatures
to be comfortable in the farrowing area. Piglets, born on the Jantzi farm where they
remain for 18 days, require creep heat temperatures of about 36 degrees Celsius. The sows
are more comfortable and maximize their milk production at 18 degrees Celsius.
The traditional method for providing appropriate comfort temperatures for the sow and
her piglets is the heat lamp. It has normally operated continuously for the piglet’s 18-day
post-farrowing period. The lamp is raised and lowered manually to adjust the temperature in
each farrowing area to provide as much temperature comfort as possible. Animal comfort is
maintained, but there was no way to control the cost.
In the 1980s, when energy-efficient electric heat pads became available, the Jantzis
began installing them as the most effective way to reduce electricity costs while maintaining
the comfort levels for their animals.
The comfort, environment and cost-saving benefits were immediate, says Gerald. A controller
on the heating pads allows the heat output to be adjusted as required, reducing electricity
usage further.
A heat lamp is now only used during the first few days after the birth of the piglets to keep
them dry, warm and draw them to the sow for feeding. The use of heat lamps has dropped
by 75 percent, from about 20 to five days, explains Gerald.
Gerald estimates the yearly electricity savings for each farrowing area is about $70. With more
than 200 farrowing areas, the annual savings for the Jantzi farm is about $13,400 when
compared with relying solely on heat lamps. Although the initial cost of a heating pad
ranging from $150 to $200 is higher than a heat lamp (average $30), the improved animal
environment and lower electricity cost soon outweigh the higher initial cost. A 60-watt heat
pad reduces electricity use in the farrowing area by about 630 kWh per year compared to
a heat lamp.
He estimates an additional $20 savings
in electricity is achieved by monitoring the
heat level the first days after birth. Heat
pad controllers allow the staff to adjust
pad heat. The stockman gradually adjusts
the temperature downwards according
to comfort levels required. Although the
farrowing barn is highly automated
including temperature controls and feeding, “the final determination of comfort levels is
based on the stockmanship of the people
working in the barn. From experience and
knowledge of the animals, they can tell
whether it is too hot, too cold or just right.”
The Jantzis reduced their yearly electricity
costs by another $5,000 to $6,000 by
installing six new energy-efficient exhaust
fans, replacing the existing 10-year-old
fans in their poultry barn. The six new fans,
ranging in size from 18 to 36 inches,
are 30 to 50 percent more efficient. The
installation was completed this past spring.
The new ventilation system in the barn
has significantly reduced the potential for
overheating that could seriously affect the
comfort of the chickens.
In addition, they were able to cut more
electricity costs in the poultry barn by
replacing the old-style box heaters with
less costly gas-fired radiant heaters.
Gerald began cutting his lighting cost in
the swine barn when he converted from
incandescent lights to florescent lights,
first installing older, T12-type lamps and
replacing those with the even more
efficient T8s when they became available.
In the poultry barn, 40-watt incandescent
bulbs are used with dimmers to reduce
cost. “We’ll start to replace these when
dimmable fluorescents become available,”
says Gerald.
Looking at energy trends on the farm,
Gerald expects to see more farm energy-generating
projects in the near future. “It will be an additional source of farm
income.”
“We’ve enough nutrients here to power the
place without needing to sell to the grid,”
he says. He has looked into the possibility of wind power and anaerobic digester
energy generation on his farm. “But, right
now, the technology is too expensive.
They’re further ahead in Europe because
the price for electricity is much higher than
in Ontario. It’s for the next generation.”
Gerald says electricity costs will become an
increasingly more important element in
farming in the future -- more than ever
before. Young farmers should seriously
consider building dual ventilation barns --
natural ventilation combined with small
minimum winter ventilation fans. “Always
think about installing the most energy-efficient
equipment. In the long run, it
will save money. Digesters may be too
expensive today, but it is a technology
waiting to happen.”
He predicts economic opportunities will
significantly increase for Ontario farmers to
participate in their own energy-generation
process.
Relevant Links
Ontario Power Authority - www.powerauthority.on.ca 
Financial incentives for farmers
planning to install approved heat
pads, heat pad controllers, cut-out
thermostats and energy-efficient
florescent lighting systems are available
through the OPA’s Electricity Retrofit
Incentive Program (ERIP).
For more information, please contact
your local distribution company (LDC).
A list of Ontario LDCs is available at
www.everykilowattcounts.ca.
Ontario farmers seeking information
about anaerobic digesters including
financial assistance should contact the
Agriculture Information Contact Centre
at 1-877-424-1300 or
email: ag.info.omafra@Ontario.ca.