Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture

	Switch grass, a high-yielding native grass adapted to much of the U.S., is one of the main feedstocks being considered for cellulosic ethanol.

In the last few years, interest in alternative energy and energy conservation has skyrocketed due to rapidly escalating fuel costs and desire to move toward renewable and sustainable energy sources. At the same time, technologies to conserve energy as well as convert feedstocks to biodiesel and ethanol have improved significantly.

A new bulletin from SARE, Clean Energy Farming: Cutting Costs, Improving Efficiencies, Harnessing Renewables, features innovative SARE-funded research and examples of farmers who are improving energy efficiency while saving money, implementing farming practices that both save energy and protect natural resources, and producing and using renewable fuels.

SARE has had a longstanding interest in both energy conservation and renewable energy, given the many areas of overlap with sustainable agriculture. Many farming practices that protect the environment and improve profitability also naturally conserve energy. For example:

Reducing tillage, cycling nutrients through manure, and using nitrogen-fixing crops in rotations to control pests, all reduce fossil fuel inputs.
Moving from confinement to rotational grazing systems improves waste management, while saving energy on transportation, temperature-controlled livestock housing and feed production.
Using direct and local marketing improves profitability for farmers while reducing the amount of energy used to transport products.

Renewable energy from both biomass and non-biomass sources is generating much excitement in rural communities, as many farmers see the potential economic benefits. Many producers are now installing wind turbines on their farm and selling the excess electricity back to the grid, while others are seeking ways to contribute to the biofuel movement, or produce their own.

Growth in biofuels will continue to expand, and in the rush to meet this demand, many are looking at both the economic opportunities for the agricultural sector, as well as many challenges. For example, how can farmers and ranchers:

Develop agricultural resources for energy production in an agronomically sound way?
Capitalize on new energy opportunities and markets, while protecting water and soils?
Along with rural communities, become the true beneficiaries of energy development projects?

The Role of SARE
SARE has funded many projects on renewable energy, including construction of passive solar greenhouses, alternative biomass production, on-farm biomass conversion methods and small-scale methane digesters.

SARE also has developed a number of informational products about renewable energy and sustainable agriculture.

Read about North Central SARE’s position on Bioenergy.

Learn more from other organizations and agencies that focus on sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.

Learn more about Southern SARE energy projects.

Top