Today is National Ag Day and we are proud to join other NC co-ops in identifying new ways to electrify agricultural and commercial processes and make them cleaner, smarter and cheaper. Beneficial electrification is a win-win for utilities, the environment, and electricity users. Some examples of electrification strategies for NC co-ops include:
- Electric Irrigation: Electric irrigation pumps offer increased efficiency, lower operating costs and better reliability than their diesel counterparts, offering an array of benefits to farmers cultivating crops, raising livestock and improving land utilization.
- Electric Equipment: Electric forklifts are more efficient, quieter and cost significantly less to maintain than fossil fuel forklifts. The same is true of Electric Transportation Refrigeration Units, or eTRUS, which are gaining momentum as interest in online shopping for and the delivery of refrigerated foods grows. North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have capabilities and incentives in place to support the transition to electric equipment.
-Indoor Agriculture: The controlled, consistent environment of an indoor facility offers new economic opportunities for farm owners. Indoor agriculture is energy intensive, and the state’s electric cooperatives are working with indoor farmers to provide new solutions for energy management.
