Fuel for Farms: Benefits of Natural Gas in Agriculture
Natural gas has the potential to revolutionize the way farms and agricultural facilities are powered in America. Abundant in domestic supply and easy to store for year-round reliability, natural gas offers the consistency required to keep farms running at optimal capacity. A resilient fuel supply is critical to agricultural operations – as the most resilient energy source, converting farms to gas is a natural choice.
More affordable than diesel, coal, and propane
In addition to the resiliency of natural gas, the agricultural sector can benefit greatly from reduced energy costs. As deregulation and natural gas production growth drive the price of natural gas down, farms can take advantage of cost savings to invest further into sustainable farm energy or lower the price of food.
Protection from incidents in the power grid
Farms that rely on electricity alone are susceptible to outages caused by extreme weather or other disruptions in the power grid. Natural gas can be stored onsite in tanks correctly sized for the scope of the operation, providing self-reliance and energy stability outside of the grid. As needs increase, storage capacity can be easily upgraded to match additional demand.
Multiple applications
Natural gas can be used across various aspects of the farm operation, including electricity generation, irrigation, and greenhouse heating. The last decade has also seen rapid growth in the availability of natural gas-powered farm equipment, allowing for the potential for natural gas to cover 100% of a farm’s energy needs.
Lower emissions and less environmental impact
Natural gas farm fuel is greener than competing fuel types. Compared to petroleum, greenhouse gasses can be cut by 30% from switching to gas. Along with being safer for the environment as a whole, a cleaner energy source is also better for the health of the soil, crops, livestock, and farmworkers.
Innovations in natural gas production, storage, and distribution have decreased methane escape to an all-time low, further highlighting the environmental benefits of natural gas. In addition, efficiency gains in natural gas-powered furnaces, appliances, and equipment are reducing the quantity of fuel burned for the same energy output.
Reduce carbon footprint further with RNG
Agricultural facilities are uniquely positioned in their ability to produce their own fuel from the very waste generated by normal operations. Renewable natural gas capture offers a near zero-carbon fuel source for farms that removes biowaste from the environment and converts it into commercial quality RNG that can be injected directly into the same systems as conventional natural gas.
The marketing potential of eco-friendly agriculture
Farms that engage in low-carbon agriculture may be favored in the marketplace by virtue of the salability of eco-friendly products and meat products to American consumers that are becoming more environmentally conscious. Taking steps to reduce emissions with natural gas has the potential to not only reduce operating expenses but also drive sales and profits.