Sustainable Energy Solutions in Agriculture

This book provides a technological and scientific endeavor to assist the society and farming communities, in different world regions and scales, to improve their productivity and sustainability. Through providing the latest technology and by deepening the understanding of possible cost-efficient techniques and application opportunities for different scales and situations, it will show why the implementation of these technologies faces numerous technological, economic and policy barriers while giving suggestions and examples as to how these hurdles can be overcome. Costs of novel technologies using both conventional and renewable energy sources are discussed and compared with those of other technologies for agricultural production, taking into account environmental and social costs that are caused by using fossil fuel based technologies. Energy efficiency is highlighted since it is of special importance in the systems. Also, applications of new and improved technologies are discussed and promoted. Finally, the book highlights what further research and development needs to be performed.

Sustainability in agriculture and associated primary industries, which are both energy-intensive, is crucial for the development of any country. Increasing scarcity and resulting high fossil fuel prices combined with the need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, make the improvement of energy efficient farming and increased use of renewable energy essential.

This book provides a technological and scientific endeavor to assist society and farming communities in different regions and scales to improve their productivity and sustainability. To fulfill future needs of a modern sustainable agriculture, this book addresses highly actual topics providing innovative, effective and more sustainable solutions for agriculture by using sustainable, environmentally friendly, renewable energy sources and modern energy efficient, cost-improved technologies. The book highlights new areas of research, and further R&D needs. It helps to improve food security for the rapidly growing world population and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use in agriculture, which presently contributes 22% of the global carbon dioxide emissions. This book provides a source of information, stimuli and incentives for what and how new and energy efficient technologies can be applied as effective tools and solutions in agricultural production to satisfy the continually increasing demand for food and fibre in an economically sustainable way, while contributing to global climate change mitigation. It will be useful and inspiring to decision makers working in different authorities, professionals, agricultural engineers, researchers, and students concerned with agriculture and related primay industries, sustainable energy development and climate change mitigation projects.