New guide connects NSW primary industries with decarbonisation research
The NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub has released a guide connecting primary industries with research expertise, facilities and potential collaborators, featuring projects including University of Wollongong research into reducing energy costs and emissions on Bega Valley dairy farms.
The NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub brings together universities, government and industry to support the development and adoption of technologies and practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Land and Primary Industries Network (LPIN) focuses on decarbonisation opportunities across agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related supply chains, where emissions reduction can also contribute to improved productivity, new markets and regional economic development.
LPIN brings together nine universities and two NSW Government departments, providing access to research expertise and facilities to help businesses investigate, test and adopt lower-emissions technologies and practices.
The network's new Capability Booklet is designed to help research and innovation managers, industry bodies, investors, government and other organisations identify potential collaborators and resources for decarbonisation projects.
It covers five areas: accelerating technology and innovation, building workforce capability, removing policy and regulatory barriers, generating evidence to support decisions, and creating regional value through decarbonisation.
The guide includes information about research farms, laboratories, commercial-scale demonstration facilities and regional living labs, along with profiles of participating organisations and examples of research collaborations.
Bega Valley dairy farms demonstrate energy savings
Among the case studies featured in the booklet is a University of Wollongong research project investigating waste heat recovery and thermal energy sharing on dairy farms in the Bega Valley.
Researchers from the university's Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, including Professor Zhenjun Ma and Dr Emily Yap, worked with Bega Group and the Regional Circularity Cooperative, with support from the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub. GeoExchange Australia was also a research partner.
Hot water heating is one of the largest energy expenses on conventional dairy farms. Electric resistance heaters are commonly used to heat large volumes of water for cleaning and other operations, while refrigeration systems used to cool milk generate heat that is generally released into the atmosphere.
The researchers installed wireless monitoring equipment across two commercial dairy farms in the Bega Valley, recording thermal and electrical data every 10 minutes to identify opportunities to recover waste heat and reduce reliance on grid electricity.
According to the Hub's 29 October research update, one farm equipped with heat recovery, thermal storage and solar panels achieved negative net energy consumption across every month measured. Recovered heat and onsite solar generation exceeded the farm's total energy use for heating and cooling.
The Capability Booklet also reports that the system reduced hot water energy use by a factor of two to five compared with standard electric heating.
The research identified four measures farmers could take to improve energy efficiency, beginning with recovering heat from existing chiller condensers and reusing available equipment where possible. Other measures include adding thermal storage for heating and cooling, integrating storage with heat recovery and solar generation, and monitoring energy use to identify further opportunities for improvement.
Regional Circularity Cooperative CEO Andrew Taylor said the research demonstrated the value of applying university expertise to industry challenges.
“The Regional Circularity Cooperative sees enormous potential in projects like this, where university research translates directly into practical action on the ground. Understanding how energy flows on a farm is the first step.”
Bega Valley dairy farmer Ancret Shipton also reported benefits from the system.
“Once the heat recovery system and solar were integrated, the difference in running costs was noticeable straight away. It’s also given me a much clearer picture of the farm’s energy demand on a day-to-day basis, something that wasn’t visible before.”
Creating opportunities for regional industries
The dairy research is included under the booklet's fifth theme, which examines how decarbonisation can create regional value through improved productivity, investment, employment opportunities and new markets.
For other NSW producers and businesses, the network provides opportunities to work with researchers on challenges involving energy use, emissions reduction, resource efficiency and the commercial application of new technologies.
LPIN partners have capabilities spanning digital agriculture, artificial intelligence and modelling, carbon and soil research, energy systems, natural capital and market expertise, supported by facilities for testing technologies under operating conditions.
The Capability Booklet provides information about participating organisations, their research strengths, facilities and contacts to help industry identify expertise relevant to their needs.
