Cost-benefit analysis of automated furrow irrigation in the Burdekin
Paper
Paper/Presentation Title | Cost-benefit analysis of automated furrow irrigation in the Burdekin |
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Presentation Type | Paper |
Authors | Gillies, Malcolm, Attard, Steven, Foley, Joseph and Davis, Marian |
Editors | Allsopp, P. |
Journal or Proceedings Title | Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT 2019) |
Journal Citation | pp. 320-327 |
Number of Pages | 8 |
Year | 2019 |
Place of Publication | Australia |
Web Address (URL) of Paper | https://www.assct.com.au/component/assct/search-result?search_cat=title&filter_search=Cost-benefit%20analysis%20of%20automated%20furrow%20irrigati&publisher=any&Itemid=0 |
Web Address (URL) of Conference Proceedings | https://www.assct.com.au/papers-posters/overview |
Conference/Event | 41st Annual Conference of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT 2019) |
Event Details | 41st Annual Conference of the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT 2019) Parent Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists Conference Delivery In person Event Date 30 Apr 2019 to end of 03 May 2019 Event Location Toowoomba, Australia Event Web Address (URL) |
Abstract | Our project developed and demonstrated the benefits of automated furrow irrigation in the Australian sugar industry. Three field sites were instrumented, covering a range of farm layouts, pumping infrastructure and water sources. The three properties have each realised different benefits from the system, including a reduction in energy costs, labour costs, water costs and potential yield increases. The project undertook a cost benefit analysis of these three sites and across a range of scenarios to determine the return on investment and the payback period of the automation system. The system costs ranged between $594 and $2,211 per hectare, largely due to the area irrigated by each control valve. The consistent major benefit across the sites was the labour savings, but other savings such as vehicle costs, energy costs and water costs were more site specific. The general outcome was that the economic benefits were able to recover costs well within the 7-year life of the system, but payback periods were much more favourable when the grower was able to improve irrigation management and, as a result, achieve a small crop yield increase. We present a summary of the outcomes of that cost-benefit analysis |
Keywords | furrow irrigation; payback period; NPV; utomation; energy; labour |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 409999. Other engineering not elsewhere classified |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | Centre for Agricultural Engineering |
AgriTech Solutions, Australia | |
Burdekin Productivity Services, Australia |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/y3w78/cost-benefit-analysis-of-automated-furrow-irrigation-in-the-burdekin
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