AUTHOR=Baxevanou Catherine , Fidaros Dimitrios , Giannenas Ilias , Bonos Eleftherios , Skoufos Ioannis 

TITLE=Reduction of Energy Intensity in Broiler Facilities: Methodology and Strategies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.671183

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2021.671183

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=Broiler facilities consume a lot of energy resulting to natural sources depletion and greater Greenhouse Gas emissions. A way to assess the energy performance of a broiler facility is through an energy audit. In the present paper, an energy protocol for an energy audit is presented covering both phases of data collection and data elaboration. The operational rating phase is analytically and extendedly described while a complete mathematical model is proposed for the asset rating phase. The developed energy audit procedure was applied to poultry chambers located in lowland and mountainous areas of Epirus Greece for chambers of various sizes and technology levels. The energy intensity indices varied from 46 to 89 kWh/m2 of chamber area 0.25 – 0.48 kWh/kg of produced meat, or 0.36 to 1.3 kWh/bird depending on the chamber technology level (insulation, automation, etc) and the location where the unit was installed. The biggest energy consumer was heating followed by energy consumption for ventilation and cooling. Advanced technology level can improve energy performance by approximately 27 – 31%. Proper insulation (4 – 7 cm) can offer a reduction of thermal energy consumption between 10 – 35%. In adequately insulated chambers, the basic heat losses are due to ventilation. Further energy savings can be achieved with more precise ventilation control. Automation can offer additional electrical energy saving for cooling and ventilation (15 -20 %). Energy-efficient lights can offer energy saving up to 5%. The use of photovoltaic (PV) technology is suggested mainly in areas where net-metering holds. The use of wind turbine is feasible only when adequate wind potential is available. Solar thermal is recommended in combination with a heat pump if the unit's heating and cooling systems use hot/cold water or air. Finally, the local production of biogas with anaerobic fermentation for producing thermal, or electrical energy, or cogenerate both, is a choice that should be studied individually for each farm.