It’s nice to wander through the countryside and admire the autumn colours, but have you noticed, as we head into the second week of November, the many green leaves that are still on the trees? Someone told me that this is because of the lack of frost, which has extended the growing season. Met Eireann released figures saying that the average temperature, in Ireland, for October, was 0.8 – 2.6 degrees above normal, depending on what part of the country you lived in. Is this yet another sign of global warming?
Last week, world leaders gathered in Glasgow to attend COP26 where they discussed ways of reducing global warming. One of the areas under the microscope was the agricultural sector, which is supposedly one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. This is mainly from animal herds where methane gas emission is the biggest concern. However there are also concerns within the agricultural sector with regard to engine emissions from tractors.
Thankfully, modern tractor engines are becoming more efficient and European legislation, such as the EU ‘Stage V’ regulation, has introduced strict guidelines for engines with regard to carbon dioxide (CO2) emmission levels. The days of heavy fuel burning tractors that need to be topped up every day with engine oil should, thankfully, be soon a thing of the past. Over the past twenty years, engine exhaust emissions from agricultural machines have been reduced significantly.
A lot of progress is being made on finding alternative energy sources as a way of powering agricultural equipment. Alternative fuels that deliver the same amount of energy, but emitting less CO2, such as biofuels, electric, solar panels, hybrid and even hydrogen, are being researched. The research on alternative energy sources needs to apply throughout the entire working process of the machine, i.e. from sowing to harvest.
In the sportsturf sector we are already seeing the use of electric equipment. Machines such as greens and fairway mowers, golf buggies and robotic mowers are now common place. However, agricultural equipment demands a lot more energy than their horticultural counterparts so moving over to the same alternative energy sources is not as straightforward. For now, getting these machines to be more fuel efficient is just as important. There is a lot of progress being made that incorporates electric drive systems with diesel engines, saving up to 10% in diesel consumption.
It is not just the use of more efficient engines or alternative fuels that will help reduce greenhouse gases. Operators of machines need to be more efficient with their farm operations. For example, the use of advanced GPS technology and sensor technology in seeders and sprayers, helps to reduce overlaps and misses. This is another way of maximising efficient use of fuel, as well as less wastage of seed, fertiliser and chemicals.
It is all very well getting engines to be more fuel efficient, but they must be properly maintained for this to be sustainable. The right training and skills are needed to use equipment efficiently. Maintaining them properly is also a crucial factor for increasing their energy efficiency. This is where the mechanic in a dealer workshop comes in. A highly skilled mechanic is a huge asset to any dealership and a lifeline to their customers.
With COP26 behind us it will be interesting to see how we adapt to climate change. We all have our part to play.
