California Grower Uses VFD Technology To Optimize Pump Operation, Reduce Energy Costs
Pumps are everywhere in agriculture, essential both for irrigation and for heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC). But water needs change, and irrigation systems don’t always require a constant flow rate or constant pressure. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are electric controllers that vary the speed of the pump, allowing the pump to respond smoothly and efficiently to fluctuations in demand.
Challenge
Eat Sweet Farms, an agricultural operation in Santa Maria, California, has long focused on growing different varieties of berries like strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. In 2019, the local grower, which is part of Central West Produce, decided to expand its crops to include avocados in an effort to capitalize on 20 previously unused acres of barren hillside.