An Integrated Renewable Energy System for the Decarbonization of a Laying Hens Farm in Central Greece
摘要
Intensive livestock farming heavily relies on fossil fuels, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions, particularly for maintaining optimal environmental conditions in livestock buildings. Furthermore, transitioning to Renewable Energy Sources (RES) is crucial for the EU's livestock sector. In the present work, a pilot study at the Agricultural University of Athens aimed to decarbonize an experimental laying hen’s facility while improving animal welfare. The farm was upgraded with a RES system, including an innovative heat pump (HP) for climate control and a solar photovoltaic (PV) system for power generation. A sensor-based monitoring system collected data on the system's performance and indoor conditions over an extended period. The study focused on the impact of the RES system during summer and winter periods. Preliminary results indicate that the installed HP enhances animal welfare by maintaining adequate indoor air temperatures during heat waves, eliminating mortality. When combined with the PV system, it significantly reduces electricity consumption from the grid by 20–23%, leading to a CO2-eq reduction of around 688 and 314 kgCO2-eq in summer and winter, respectively. During the testing and finetuning period, the HP Seasonal Coefficient of Performance reached 2.42 and 3.65 in summer and winter, respectively. These findings offer valuable insights into the potential for scaling up RES integration in commercial livestock facilities, highlighting the benefits for energy efficiency and animal welfare.