Stories: On the Farm
Andrew Gill - Narromine, NSW, Australia

Solar Wins in the Quest For Efficiency

“For the past few years we have been trying to get better fuel efficiency out of our diesel turbine pumps. We found our turbines were already at their highest efficiency point, so we looked at cheaper ways to get the water out of the ground.

We decided to install a solar diesel hybrid system, which runs on solar energy when there’s sufficient irradiance from the sun, then switches to a diesel generator. Blending solar power with the diesel generator enables us to pump water at a fraction of the diesel cost. It’s a win-win: we’ve cut fuel costs and our greenhouse gas emissions.”

– Andrew Gill, cotton grower, “Waterloo”

For more information, visit www.cottoninfo.com.au/energy-use-efficiency.

Get to know other growers and researchers

Dr. Tyson Raper
Memphis, TN, USA

Every cotton-growing state in the U.S. has a cotton extension specialist. This research and outreach professional is dedicated to advancing the science of cotton agriculture and translating it into guidance that growers use to increase their productivity and sustainability.

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Dr. Audrey Gamble
Auburn, AL, USA

Dr. Audrey Gamble, associate professor of soil science at Auburn University, works with cotton growers to fine-tune their farm management to build their soil’s health and prepare it for productivity now and many years in the future.

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Johannes Roellgen
Brookstead, Queensland, Australia

Johannes and Scarlett Roellgen are regarded among the best cotton growers in Australia because of their pest management, water use efficiency and on-farm practices.

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Dr. Katie Lewis
Lubbock, TX, USA

Dr. Katie Lewis has dedicated her career to helping cotton growers — including her family — increase their resilience and sustain their farming operations far into the future.

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Ben Witham
Coleambally, New South Wales, Australia

Biodiversity is important for cotton farmers. In Southern NSW, one farmer has connected his paddocks to a reserve and state forest with biodiversity corridors, providing a natural habitat for wildlife to live and travel.

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Jeff Palmer
Wee Waa, New South Wales, Australia

The noise is unbelievable, and its near impossible to find a tree that a whistling duck hasn’t claimed – but it’s a long-standing biodiversity project this cotton farming family are proud of.

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Andrew Burleson
Richfield, NC, USA

Soil conservation benefits both crops and the environment in a myriad of ways. Hear from Andrew Burleson about his experiences adopting sustainable agricultural practices.

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Scott McCalman
Mullaley, New South Wales, Australia

A cover cropping program has resulted in improved soil health, yield and reduced input costs for NSW cotton farmer Scott McCalman.

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Nick Gillingham
Moree, NSW, Australia

Leading the operation is farm manager Nick Gillingham, who oversees “Keytah” at Sundown Pastoral.

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Scott Hogan
Coleambally, New South Wales, Australia

Why are these farmers standing in a huge puddle of water? They’ve irrigated a natural wetland to help save the endangered Southern Bell Frog.

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Ashley Geldard
Miles, Queensland

On the Western Downs in Queensland, Ashley Geldard has converted his previously rainfed farming operation to irrigated thanks to a constant supply of treated wastewater from a nearby coal seam gas plant.

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Tony Quigley
Macquarie Valley, NSW, Australia

The Quigley Family in the Macquarie Valley NSW have been awarded Australian Cotton Grower of the Year for their production that covers all aspects of farming for a sustainable future.

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