Daryl Domitruk Eric Liu Matt Wiens How do Agriculture and Renewable Energy Intersect on the Issue of GHG Emissions? Daryl Domitruk Eric Liu Matt Wiens

Adopting renewable energy on farm – equipment Renewable fuels, engine electrification, barn heating, grain drying, water pumps Technical advances regularly coming to market – ongoing business practice Cost and available infrastructure are primary considerations

Ag fossil fuel emissions Marked fuel used in agriculture represents about 3% of total provincial emissions incudes horsepower for tillage, seeding, harvest Fuel used for heating barns, farm buildings (natural gas, propane), Transportation of grain and livestock with non-marked fuel Grain drying and storage

Adopting renewable energy on farm – energy conserving farm practices Reduced tillage Reduced draught Bio-control, bio-tillage

Adopting renewable energy on farm – small wind Diversification Centres/PAMI Not cost-effective or reliable in these examples

Adopting renewable energy on farm – ground source Well established – homes, shops

Adopting renewable energy on farm – solar Gaining in synch with overall growth in popularity - still limited

Adopting renewable energy on farm – biogas Testing conducted on pig and dairy operations - PAMI Technically work but, costly and complex e.g. fire code Electricity COP not competitive Food processing - yes Not a solution to P

Adopting renewable energy on farm – biomass Displacing fossil energy - MBESP: $3.5 M to 90 projects incl 40 colony conversions from coal. Successful where feasible – need right supply and quality of biomass; skills and licenses to operate boilers etc.

Adopting renewable energy on farm – biomass 10+ biomass suppliers 5+ boiler manufacturers 40 biomass heating installations 50,000 tonnes annual biomass fuel consumption Testing biomass for grain drying (PAMI)

Biomass fuel supply chain By-product Oat, sunflower hulls Flax shive Cattails (IISD) Wood pellets Waste paper cube Proximity is key Providence College PAMI

Summary Displacement of coal underway Reasonable alternatives built around development of practical biomass combustion technology and fuel supply chain Other renewable sources slower rate of development Ongoing call for rural natural gas service to add to or displace hydro electricity

Practicalities of family farms Large output per unit labour due to mechanization and constant effort to max ROI Must focus labour and capital on tasks directly affecting production and marketing; secondary tasks such as producing energy may be a challenge to incorporate. However, farms are very diverse and many are considering advanced approaches to energy supply.

However...there’s a conundrum in the link between energy and GHG’s Most emissions are from sources outside the direct control of farmers and ranchers. Farmers and ranchers can’t innovate and adapt their way out of the fundamental processes of agro-ecosystems.

Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

29% of MB GHG emissions from farms and ranches

Carbon Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Ag input manufacturing emissions Production of nitrogen fertilizer used in MB could be over 3.5% of provincial emissions Production of P, K and S fertilizers, pesticides and production of farm equipment have associated GHG emissions, but not all produced within Manitoba.

Produce N fertilizer with renewable energy through Haber-Bosch process: need a source of H Current: Natural gas (CH4) reforming to produce H2 for NH3 production Renewable H2 options Electrolysis of water using hydro and/or wind power Biomass gasification for syngas (CH4) Anaerobic digestion for biogas (CH4) Challenge: high cost compared to N.G.

Farm enterprise choice and farm practices influence GHG emissions

Potential for agriculture to assist emission reductions in other sectors C sequestration by using natural fibres (e.g., hemp, flax) for composites (e.g., bus panels, building products) Supply feedstock to next-generation biofuels (e.g., cellulosic ethanol) and biochemicals (e.g., bio succinic acid)

Carbon Benefits of Biomaterials Reference: Borland, 2014

Intersection of Renewable Energy and GHG Emissions in agriculture: Conclusions Economically viable renewable energy sources will continue to be adopted Farms and ranches will continue to supply of products and by-products to fuel other sectors Significant reductions in overall GHG emissions from agriculture await more fundamental change e.g. ......