Machinery & Infrastructure
1 August, 2026
Renewables boost energy security
FARMING businesses across the country are facing pressures from a fuel and fertiliser crisis, rising costs, volatile commodity prices, labour shortages and increasingly variable weather conditions.
At the same time, agriculture is being asked to play a larger role in Australia’s energy transition.
Farmers will get the chance to discuss these issues at this year’s National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Expo to be held in Orange, New South Wales, on August 12.
Following two sold-out years, this year’s conference will cover how Australian producers can make electrifying operations and reducing emissions stack up commercially.
Karin Stark (conference founder) said the conference was an important way to showcase farmers who were already using renewable energy to cut costs, improve efficiency and create new income streams.
“Australia currently imports 90 per cent of our refined fuels and we’ve seen how vulnerable agriculture is to global supply shocks,” Mr Stark said.
“We’ve ensured this year’s program includes ways farmers can be more self-sufficient so the conference covers topics ranging from battery storage and solar-powered irrigation to electric farm vehicles, biofuels and on-farm fertiliser production.”
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Gippsland farmer Chris Freney will be speaking about how poultry litter has become the foundation of a renewable energy and circular economy project that could reduce costs and diversify his business.
Chris is currently developing an ambitious anaerobic digestion (AD) facility through his business C-Loop, that will convert poultry litter into renewable electricity, industrial gases and valuable agricultural inputs, while addressing a growing environmental challenge facing the industry.
In addition to the main conference on August 12, a farmer-only networking session will be held on the afternoon of August 11, providing an opportunity for producers to meet speakers, ask questions and discuss projects in an informal setting.
For those wanting to see renewable energy systems operating in the real world, optional farm tours on August 13 will visit either a solar-powered winery or the Flyers Creek Wind Farm.
For farmers facing rising energy costs and looking for practical ways to improve profitability, the event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from farmers who are already implementing these technologies and making them work commercially.
For more information, or to register, visit the conference website at www.renewablesinagconference.com.au