Simulated Farm Fieldwork, Energy Consumption and Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Canada

The amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that can be attributed to agricultural machinery management was analysed using computer simulation of farm power requirements, machine hours and fuel consumption. The ‘Farm Fieldwork and Fossil Fuel Energy and Emissions’ (F4E2) model optimised tractor and harvester power P. To minimise P for a single tractor for spring tillage and sowing, the model budgets available spring work time in half-day increments and adjusts implement widths to match. Other field operations in the model are powered by a tractor derived for spring. Emissions of GHG were estimated for ploughing, discing and sowing operations in springs, along with autumn harvesting, cultivation for weeds, spreading manure and sprying for pests. A grain trailer and a swather were considered as part of harvesting. Farm site estimates were extrapolated to regional and national scales with appropriate and available Canadian Census and farm survey data. Fuel consumption and GHG emission factors for petrol and diesel fuels were also analysed. Fuel efficiency and proper matching of equipment to tractors were important factors. Canadaʹs 1996 Farm Energy Use Survey (FEUS) provided useful validation to the F4E2 energy consumption estimates. The model estimate of 71·6 PJ of diesel energy for 1996 was within 1% of the 72·0 PJ of diesel fuel energy that FEUS attributes to farm machinery for Canada. The 1990 Kyoto baseline estimate of GHG emissions was 6·5 Tg of CO2 equivalent from both diesel and petrol for farm field operations in Canada.