Key Points
- Direct energy use is often less than 5% of arable farm expenditure, but on irrigated properties can be 20%.
- There are significant opportunities to save energy. A 15% improvement in diesel and electricity use would boost profits by over $28/ha.
- Total fossil fuel energy use averaged 108 l/ha, most of this from cultivation.
- Electricity use on irrigated farms was 2000kWhr/ha and total energy use was 34,200MJ/ha with dryland farms at 20,100MJ/ha.
- Fertiliser accounted for 28% of total energy use (includes extraction, processing and transport) for irrigated properties and 61% for dryland properties.
- Averaged across arable farms total CO2 and potential taxable CO2 emissions were 1.6 and 0.7t/ha respectively.
- Carbon tax on NZ produced urea could potentially increase the cost of NZ produced urea by 8%.
- The energy ratio, (output/input), was 3.0 for wheat on both dryland and irrigated properties. The constant ratio reflects the higher yield on irrigated properties. A higher ratio indicates greater energy efficiency.
- There are potentially strong environmental benefits and significant cost savings from greater energy efficiency.