National Renewables in Agriculture 2023 Conference wraps in Dubbo

The fourth annual National Renewables in Agriculture Conference brought together farmers, agribusiness, industry, government, consultants and peak bodies to discuss the opportunities for renewables in agriculture in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone and beyond.

READ ALSO: 'Back to basics' and keeping government honest: Saunders' conference message

With consumers increasingly seeking low-carbon products, renewables also pave the way for many farmers to improve their environmental footprint.

Cutting emissions and costs are important steps in building a resilient and sustainable agriculture sector with on-farm renewables providing a valuable opportunity for farmers.

Karin Stark, conference organiser, said keynote speaker, economist and author Ross Garnaut, had spoken at about rural Australia being the "future economic powerhouse".

"We'll be the ones out there hosting renewable developments, and the critical renewables that will be needed will be created in regional Australia," Ms Stark told the Daily Liberal.

READ ALSO: Farmers welcome introduction of new off-road ambulances

She said a major takeaway from the two-day conference - which was hosted for the second time in Dubbo - was the future for farm vehicles and tractors would not be a "one size fits all". According to John Deere, who spoke at the conference, electric tractors are three years from coming to Australia.

"Potentially renewable diesel might be a great option in the meantime," Ms Stark said.

One speaker chatted about producing canola locally, in the regions. Ms Stark said: "There are opportunities for farmers to convert to renewables in farms. There are still some challenges as well."

"This is about the opportunities coming to us because of that massive change we'll see in our energy systems over the coming years and making sure farmers benefit from that and regional communities," she said.

Several farmers shared their knowledge of on-farm renewables at the conference, and attendees toured a solar grazing operation to understand more about how merino sheep are benefiting from shade and protection from solar panels.

Glenn Platt, ex CSIRO, talked about how farmers could be playing a greater role in decarbonising the grid.

IN OTHER NEWS

A poultry producer from Victoria spoke about how he saved $400,000 on his energy bills by insulating chicken sheds and using solar.

Another farmer spoke about how he turned pig waste into energy, and Farmers for Climate Action hosted a stall at the conference.

Ms Stark said the overall message was: "That renewable energy does provide a pretty significant opportunity for farmers, both on the farm and on a larger scale. In the renewable energy zone of Dubbo, people need to be talking about the opportunities and understanding the issues and working together to create a community to advocate for the strong benefits for the region."

The conference was held at the Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre.

Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app here. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.