PRESS RELEASE
Cutting emissions and costs are important steps in building a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector with on-farm renewables providing a valuable opportunity for farmers. With consumers increasingly seeking low-carbon products, renewables also pave the way for many farmers to improve their environmental footprint.
Electric tractors, renewable diesel, bioenergy and solar–powered farms across Australia – that’s the vision for the future of agriculture being showcased at the National Renewables in Agriculture Conference 2023.
Michael Unwin, of Michael Unwin Wines, is a passionate advocate for sustainability in farming, making the most of renewable energy sources at his winery in Windermere, Victoria.
With everything from grape-growing through to packaging and distribution done on location, the winery runs on solar power, enabling operations to be off-grid.
He said: “We are trying to run a sustainable business, so as well as solar and batteries to power our operations, we also have earth floors in the cellar which is a substantial contribution plus smaller initiatives such as “ice banking’ and in situ growing of blackwoods in the vineyards to be posts.
“We found it easy to access finance early on for use of renewables at our winery, as financiers are looking for businesses that are cutting carbon.”
Michael will speak at this year’s National Renewables in Agriculture Conference, which will be held on Wednesday 21 June at Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.
The event will bring together farmers, agriculture and energy consultants, peak bodies and Government representatives to share stories of on-farm renewables, their business case, and discuss what’s driving the transformation of energy use in agriculture.
Conference Founder Karin Stark said: “Farmers are increasingly looking to renewable energy to cut rising diesel and electricity costs, but there’s still a way to go regarding the right technology to suit agriculture and having regional skilled businesses ready to help.
“Another important conversation we will be having is whether farmers can play a greater role in decarbonising the grid. This could mean more dispersed, smaller 5MW solar developments on hundreds of farms connecting to the distribution network, or it could mean farmers being paid for providing services to the grid as those markets slowly establish themselves.
“We are excited to welcome several farmers who will be sharing their knowledge of on-farm renewables at the conference, as well as offer a tour to a solar grazing operation the following day to understand more about how merino sheep are benefiting from shade and protection from solar panels. The conference is in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, so understanding how to successfully combine agriculture and energy generation is critical.
“There’s a lot of interest from the agricultural sector in future vehicles and fuels, so we are delighted that Stephanie Gersekowski from John Deere will be joining a panel discussion about what we can expect from them in the coming years.”
