The educational materials listed on this page are about Renewable Energy.
Renewable energy can address critical resource needs in agriculture as well as the challenges of climate change, which can impact agriculture in many ways. Farm energy production can contribute to overall economic viability of farms. Therefore, thinking about alternative sources, such as solar energy, geothermal energy and wind energy, is important to farm economics and sustainable practices. Using solar power, a farmer can boost on-farm energy production without dramatically raising costs. Green energy, also known as clean energy, is a viable option for combating climate change. Investing in this kind of sustainable energy on your farm operation could prove beneficial to farm finances. Geothermal power and wind power are both clean power options worth considering if a financially sound and sustainably managed farm is the end goal. Key practices include energy conservation/efficiency, energy use and consumption, byproduct utilization, renewable energy, solar energy, wind power, geothermal.
Clean Energy Farming: Cutting Costs, Improving Efficiencies, Harnessing Renewables is a bulletin SARE offers that can help farmers turn to clean energy practices on their operations, whether large or small. This will help farmers learn ways to implement farming practices that save energy, protect natural resources, and produce and use renewable fuels. For farmers who want to better understand the role of sustainable management of water in a farm system, including geothermal, check out Smart Water Use on your Farm or Ranch. SARE’s book Building a Sustainable Business aids producers in building both a sustainable and profitable business plan for their new enterprise that includes renewable energy options. The Farm Energy Topic Room provides a wealth of information on clean energy topics, including biodiesel, farm energy audits, solar and wind energy, and more.
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E3A Energy Efficiency and Alternatives
E3A provides free downloadable fact sheets, links to resources, and more to help you explore small renewable energy systems for your farm, ranch or home.
Northeast Farm Energy IQ
Farm Energy IQ offers free information to help farmers enhance operational sustainability in the context of the farm economy and ecosystem.
Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Curriculum and Handbook
To help educate farmers and agricultural professionals on climate change and agriculture topics, Julie Doll and a team of researchers at the Kellogg Biological Station have developed a handbook and a curriculum as products of a NCR-SARE Professional Development Program grant.
New Release: Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy
Missouri fruit grower Dan West hated seeing so much wasted fruit littering his orchard floor, and he worried about how the supply and price of fossil fuel affected his profitability. Seemingly unrelated problems, West found one solution to both. He began fermenting the waste fruit into wine and converting some of that wine into ethanol […]
Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy
Using solar or wind energy or producing biofuels from crop feedstocks and anaerobic digestion helps farmers achieve energy independence while improving profitability and reducing fossil fuel emissions.
¿Qué es la Agricultura Sustentable?
Este reporte ganador de un premio provee un muestrario de mejores prácticas en la agricultura sustentable – desde el mercadeo y la vitalidad de la comunidad hasta cultivos de cobertura y pastoreo – así como ocho perfiles de productores, educadores e investigadores que las han implementado con éxito.
Exploring Energy Efficiency and Alternatives Curriculum
According to Sarah Hamlen, Montana State University Extension, and Milton Grieger, University of Wyoming Extension, Western producers’ profitability is closely linked to the consumption and production of energy resources. Decisions made by these producers on energy issues have long-term implications for the sustainability of agricultural production, they assert. To increase producers’ knowledge of energy issues, […]
Developing an Energy Efficient, Solar-Heated Greenhouse in Maryland
This project investigated the effectiveness of energy-efficient greenhouse design and the ability of water-heating solar panels to heat a greenhouse as a propane alternative.
Sustainable Renewable Energy Training for Agriculture and Natural Resource Professionals
The multiple benefits that a sustainable bioenergy system can provide underscore the need for its development in a manner that assures that the expansion of this sector provides not just new energy but broader environmental and community benefits as well (Kleinschmit, 2007; Jordan et al, 2007; Kleinschmit and Muller, 2005). It will require that farmers […]
Micro-Hydroelectricity
This module focuses on micro-hydroelectricity (micro-hydro), designed for homeowners and agricultural operators to reduce purchased electricity use.
Solar Hot Water
This module describes solar hot water systems, which are designed to capture the sun’s energy to heat water.
Solar Electricity
This series explores generating electricity from the sun, including the considerations you need to make before deciding to invest in a solar electricity system.
Small Wind
This series explores the applications and benefits of small wind. It is designed to help you understand both the benefits and limitations of small wind before you buy a system.
Biogas: A Renewable Biofuel
A University of Florida website developed as an outcome of SSARE-funded research in biogas production on small farms.
New Mexico Grower Saved by the Sun
Perched at the edge of the Sonoran desert, Don Bustos' family farm has always been endowed with ample sunshine and daylight. However, the New Mexico grower had long been bedeviled by cool temperatures that limit the growing season to four or five months. With the short season and rising fuel costs threatening his ability to […]
Thermal Banking Greenhouses
Steven Schwen uses thermal banking to significantly reduce the energy costs of running a greenhouse for cold-season production.
Thermal Banking for Cold Storage
Steven Schwen's innovative energy conservation strategy uses thermal banking technology to conserve heat in his greenhouse and for cold storage.
What is Sustainable Agriculture?
This award-winning report provides a sampler of best practices in sustainable agriculture—from marketing and community vitality to cover crops and grazing—as well as eight profiles of producers, educators and researchers who have successfully implemented them.
Clean Energy Farming
Clean Energy Farming: Cutting Costs, Improving Efficiencies, Harnessing Renewables features innovative SARE-funded research and examples of farmers who are improving energy efficiency while saving money, implementing farming practices that both save energy and protect natural resources, and producing and using renewable fuels.