Research project Energy Smart Livestock Farming towards Zero Fossil Fuel Consumption

General introduction

ILVO and UGent have developed a decision tool within the international research project RES4LIVE to inform livestock farmers about the renewable energy techniques on their stables. The tool can estimate economic feasibility. In several countries, pilot barns have been equipped with renewable energy systems. The installation at the Pig Campus on ILVO premises was found to reduce some 47% energy-related greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis according to an initial calculation using the tool.

Intensive livestock farming is one of the subsectors of agriculture where large amounts of fossil fuels are used. Their energy demand is diverse, ranging from cooling/heating of barns, use of equipment and tractors, lighting, and ventilation. Currently, only 4 % of this demand is provided by a renewable energy source. The RES4LIVE project - renewable energy for livestock farming - investigated the possibilities and potentials to replace the use of fossil fuels in European livestock farming with smart and renewable energy.

Research approach

We developed integrated, cost-efficient, and case-specific renewable energy solutions and brought them to the market. Through a market study and literature review, we identified promising energy-efficient and renewable energy techniques for energy-intensive livestock farms (pigs, dairy cattle, and poultry) such as smart control, the use of biofuels, solar panels (both electrical and/or thermal) and heat pumps. Energy-efficient interventions and adapted, optimized techniques were also installed and demonstrated in 4 pilot barns (including the Pig Campus in Melle). The techniques were evaluated on a technical level as well as economically, ecologically, and socially.

Relevance/Valorization

The energy-efficient techniques – installing LED lights, heat pumps, additional insulation, and the integration of smart control – showed improvements in the mortality rate in a chicken house in Greece and the overall energy use of a pig stable in Italy. The Varkenscampus was equipped with a dual heat pump (25 + 40 kWthermal), 24 PVT panels (these deliver both heat and electricity) and an 800-liter thermal storage tank. Additionally, a biogas to bioCNG conversion unit and an adapted tractor were designed for a dairy barn in Germany. ILVO and Ghent University worked on a decision-making tool to guide livestock farmers in their choice about renewable energy installations on their farms. According to this tool, the installation at the Varkenscampus reduces 47% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and 4% fuel costs on a yearly basis with regard to the original gas condensing boiler. All installations will remain operational to investigate their effectiveness in the long run, as well to enjoy their benefits.

Financing

EU Horizon2020