Farm Energy Working Group

Go to this working group's website

Purpose

This group supports research, education and implementation of a variety of energy conservation, efficiency and renewable energy practices from on-farm resources to meet the needs of Iowa’s small and mid-sized farms. It was initiated in 2009 as part of a competitive Leopold Center grant to the Center for Energy & Environmental Education at the University of Northern Iowa, which coordinates the group's activities. It is part of the Value Chain Partnerships program.

The goals of the Farm Energy Working Group:

• To facilitate the development and coordinator of a state-wide “Farm Energy Working Group”
• To encourage research, collaboration, implementation, demonstration and outreach for a wide variety of practices to meet the on-farm energy needs of Iowa farms
• To involve key state organizations, energy practitioners and farmers in these goals

Working group resources

• Farm Energy Demonstration Grants - Farmers with small to mid-sized operations may apply for up to $2,000 in demonstration grants using energy efficiency/conservation and renewable energy resources from the farm to meet the energy needs of Iowa's small/mid-sized farms. The deadline for 2011 grants has passed. Read about the awardees here. 
• Farmer-to-Farmer Video Conservations - Short videos with farmers who share how they are reducing fossil fuel use on their farms, available on our other videos webpage or YouTube channel ceeeuni1.

Related competitive grants

• Meeting on-farm energy needs through conservation, efficiency and renewable energy (XP2009-01)
• Iowa Farm Energy Working Group (XP2011-03)

Links we like

• ISU Farm Energy Initiative

For more information about the group, including grant application forms and farm energy resources, visit the Farm Energy Working Group website at the Center for Energy & Environmental Education.