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Introduction to Greenhouse Efficiency and Energy Conservation


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Greenhouses do their job most successfully using designs and siting for energy efficiency and maximum light transmission. Greenhouses must optimize crop growth and energy use by allowing sunlight in during the day, retaining as much heat as possible during cold weather, and providing sufficient ventilation to …

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Oilseed Crops for Biodiesel Production

Do you know that energy in the oil from oilseed crops, algae, restaurant waste oil, and animal fat can serve as a biodiesel feedstock? This article explores many feedstocks that make oil, which can be used in biodiesel production.

Harvesting soybeans in Nebraska.  Photo: F. John Hay, Extension Educator, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension.

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Used and Waste Oil and Grease for Biodiesel

The most environmentally friendly biodiesel feedstocks are used grease and oil. This article discussed how to turn waste oil and grease from restaurants into energy.

barrels of biodiesel

Photo: basheertome
Photo: Mitra Sahara

Contents

Introduction

Some of the most environmentally friendly biodiesel feedstocks are used cooking oil and waste grease. According to the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standards Program Regulatory Impact Analysis,…

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Environmental Life Cycle Analysis of Biodiesel

Biofuel life cycle analysis. Photo:  U.S. Dept. of Energy Biomass Program

Explore life cycle analysis to understand how biodiesel impacts the environment.

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Introduction

Life cycle analysis is a relatively recent tool, growing in popularity, that is used to estimate the environmental, energy and economic performance of a product or a system. …

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Biodiesel Fuel Quality


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Introduction

 
Photo: Suzanne Paulson, Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences and the Institute of the Environment at UCLA.

For biodiesel to be sold in the market, the fuel must …

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Geothermal Heat for Greenhouses

Soil and water below ground contain a vast reservoir of thermal energy. Geothermal heating systems recover this energy and convert it to heat that can be utilized in greenhouses and other buildings. Geothermal heat resources can be classified into three categories: low, medium, and high temperature.

Types of Geothermal Resources

  • Low temperature (50°F +/-). The soil temperature at the surface varies considerably over the year and closely follows the air temperature. At the 5 to 6 foot depth, the
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Gear Up and Throttle Back to Save Fuel


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“Gear up and throttle back” is a fuel-saving practice suitable for light drawbar loads (less than 65% of full power) when reduced PTO speed is not a problem. For the most efficient operation, a tractor’s engine should be operated near its rated capacity. However, many field …

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Optimizing Field Efficiency to Save Fuel

Introduction

Field efficiency means completing a particular field operation while wasting the least amount of time, fuel, and farm resources. The term refers to the time the operation should take vs. turning and other nonproductive time. For example, spending an inordinate amount of time turning around at the ends of short, wide fields or overlapping tillage operations within a field can result in higher fuel consumption per acre.

Machine maintenance and repair also affect field efficiency – equipment that is …

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Natural Ventilation in High Tunnels

Roll-up sides and drop-down curtains are low-cost vent systems that can be installed in most high tunnels. These systems operate on the principle that heat is removed by a pressure difference created by wind gradients, so no energy is required to operate fans to move air. A wind speed of 2-3 miles per hour is adequate to force cool air in the windward sidewall. The air traveling over the high tunnel creates a vacuum on the leeward side to pull …

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Introduction to Energy Efficient Irrigation


Irrigation is Nevada

Irrigation is Nevada. Photo: US EPA and National Archive and Record Administration; Wikimedia Commons.

Learn how efficient irrigation technologies and practices reduce water and power costs.

Table Of Contents

Energy Efficient Irrigation

Overhead or sprinkler irrigation is common in vegetable production; it can deliver a lot of water quickly to an entire field. Photo: Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Extension
 

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