The concept of the Energy Farm was hatched after the government’s announcement of the zero-carbon bill and its goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2035. Dr. de Koning & Dr. Heyl noticed a gap between the government’s goal and availability of guidelines & illustrations to the farming industries as to how to achieve the goal. With their combined expertise, they set about creating an energy farm that would demonstrate different sustainable energy sources that are available to the agribusinesses. Through this energy farm, they are hoping to help farmers make informed decisions when they implement sustainable energy technologies in their farms.
Solar photovoltaics is projected to contribute significantly, with nearly 2 GW of solar farms already in various stages of development in Aotearoa New Zealand. This calls for an urgent systemic approach to transformative land use with multifunctional outcomes.
Hence, why the Energy Farm has developed a multi-use ground-mounted solar array. We will use the land for energy production as well as agriculture, we will use the technology to decarbonise Lincoln University campus and do the research to validate the dual use. The research will shape the move from conventional business models driven by profit towards a holistic, transformative business model with technological value, social value, ecological value, economic value, animal welfare value, and soil health value will enable a scientific approach towards viable multifunctional land use.
The subsequent phases of the Energy Farm will include the other building blocks to create a circular farm. These will include more renewable electricity (e.g. solar, wind), renewable fuel (e.g. biofuel, hydrogen), waste as an added value (e.g. methane gas, organic fertiliser) and various interlinking agricultural systems (e.g. land-based aquaculture, high-tech horticulture). The farm aspires to be open and transparent with all stakeholders to support the transformation to a diversified farming system with higher economic and social value and a lower environmental footprint.
Dr. Wim de Koning
Co-founder of Energy Farm
Co- Director Lincoln University Centre of Excellence in Transformative Agribusiness
Lincoln University
wim@energyfarm.co.nz
Dr. Jeff Heyl
Co-founder of Energy Farm
Programme Director BCom Sustainability Lincoln University
Jeff@energyfarm.co.nz
Energy Farm Founders
Dr. Wim de Koning is a passionate creator of sustainable added value in the Agri-Food Industry space. Having extensive global experience in sales & marketing of fast-moving consumer goods, he understands from first-hand experience what is required to be part of a global sustainable value chain. His appointment of Visiting Professor in Business & Enterprise Development at the prestigious Harper Adams University, United Kingdom & HAS University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands has enabled him to stimulate the added value potential of (international) entrepreneurship in the agri-food value chain and also to encourage innovation.
In 2018, Dr. de Koning made the decision to relocate to Canterbury, New Zealand from The Netherlands. With his role at Lincoln University as a Professional Teaching Fellow and Executive Director of B.linc Innovation, he saw opportunities & was able to put his expertise into use. Together with a colleague, Dr Jeff Heyl, they created The Energy Demonstration Farm. It is his vision that this project allows all-inclusive participation & will be open to all potential partners and the operations will be transparent to all stakeholders. He envisioned that this project will push boundaries, generate innovation & create sustainable added value.
Dr. Heyl has been actively studying, teaching and researching in areas related to lean systems, quality management, process control and systems implementation for many years.
Hailing from United States of America, he is a member of a number of institutes: Institute for Supply Management, American Society for Quality, Decision Sciences Institute, American Production and Inventory Control Society – just to name a few. He is also a former evaluator for the New Zealand National Quality Award.
Dr. Heyl has spent nearly three decades at Lincoln University. During this time, he has developed a keen interest in the application of modern management tools and techniques to address agribusiness problems.
The Energy Farm 