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Where does the power go?

No cost energy saving hints
Wash milk equipment with cold water rather than hot at least once a day, if possible within hygiene requirements.
Set the boiler thermostat at the correct temperature and schedule use to ensure maximum efficiency for heat requirements.

Technical energy saving options with varying cost
Fix dripping hot water taps. A hot tap dripping at one drip per second will cost $50 per year in electricity.
Keep boiler and steam systems regularly tuned.
Insulate hot water cylinders and pipes.
Repair dripping water taps.
Recover store and reuse heat from the used hot water.
Install a timer on the hot water system to heat water only when needed.
Correctly size hot water cylinders and reduce standing losses by only heating water when necessary.
Recover heat from the exhaust of the vacuum pump or refrigerator. This can save 10% of the electricity demand of a milking shed boiler system or approximately 4% of total electricity demand.
Consider use of solar energy for heating water.
Use waste heat from an ice bank, if installed, to preheat the water and save 10% of this demand.
Use heat exchangers to transfer as much of the heat in the incoming milk to the hot water supply as possible. Heat exchangers can save 10% of the total energy demand of milking shed hot water cylinders. The flow of milk can be regulated through the heat exchanger using a variable speed drive (VSD) pump;
Use a de-superheater and water cooled condensers in the refrigeration system to preheat water for cleaning or to fill the hot water cylinder. This can save 20% of the total electricity required to heat water; and
Use heat pumps that upgrade either ambient energy sources or the energy in the incoming warm milk stream.
Where does the power go?
 
- Hot water
- Refrigeration
- Vacuum Pumps / Milking
- Pump Water / Irrigation
- Equipment / Machinery
- Lighting, effluent pumps, miscellaneous
Why reduce energy consumption?
How to reduce energy consumption
Low cost energy tips
Further information
Energy and climate change