Key takeaways for pond aeration

While the authors focus primarily on improving irrigation pump efficiency, the recommendations can be equally applied to pond aeration and fountain pumps.

  • Replace pumps with more efficient systems
  • Employ green energy alternatives when available
  • Adopt energy efficiency and solar energy technologies
  • When changing practices and technology, consider all input costs during the decision-making process

 

SolarGeneral takeaways

  • Combined total energy use (electricity, gasoline, natural gas, propane, and heating oil) decreased 8.3%, primarily due to reductions in electricity consumption. Over the span of the research, electricity was the most used energy source, followed by gasoline and diesel.
  • 9% of facilities have conducted an energy audit, and 6.6% have a written energy conservation plan.
  • 4% of facilities purchased green electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal.
  • 2% of facilities are generating energy on-site (predominately solar power).

No notable changes in gasoline usage occurred, but a slight increase in diesel was noted and attributed to the adoption of diesel-equipment-intensive practices such as applying sand topdressing on fairways. The authors encourage weighing the benefits of reduced water, fertilizer, and pesticides from this practice with the increased cost of diesel. The benefits likely outweigh the costs, but all input costs should be considered.