Energy and Conservation for the 1990s

The 1980s were ushered in under a cloud of uncertainty in the world energy picture. During the decade of the 80s, phenomenal developments occurred in energy that are certain to influence the energy situation in the 1990s. Perhaps the most important of these developments was energy conservation, both mandated and voluntary. Other factors were the development of additional energy reserves, nuclear energy becoming more and more unpopular, and acid rain becoming a critical environmental concern. How will these developments affect energy in the 1990s? Already some energy conservation efforts are being relaxed. With neither nuclear energy nor high-sulfur coal, more emphasis will have to be placed on gas, oil, and low-sulfur coal. The U.S. is still highly dependent upon imported oil, making the supply vulnerable to the whims of foreign governments. These factors coupled with the fact that energy demand is likely to increase substantially during the next few years make very real the possibility of an energy shortage and escalating energy prices in the 1990s. Meanwhile, agriculture has entered a new era of Conservation farming that potentially could have a revolutionary effect in the 1990s. Soil erosion control and water quality protection has been mandated by Federal law, and energy conservation will likely come about as a part of low input sustainable agriculture resources and seeking ways to reduce production inputs and conserve energy to cut production costs. Fortunately, many of the same practices that conserve soil, water, fossil fuels, labor, and money are effective LISA practices. Reducing production inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides, and tillage, reduces production costs and conserves energy. The purpose of this paper is to outline the energy requirements of various crop production practices and indicate ways that farmers can conserve energy through tillage, N fertilizer practices, legumes, and animal manures. Energy Used in Crop Production Although large in total amount, the energy used in production agriculture is only about 3 % of the total energy used in the U.S. This energy is divided amon