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Farm Machinery and Renewable Energy

Farm Machinery and Renewables

CSO statistical publication, , 11am

This section provides data on tractors and machinery used and owned by farms. As part of the CSO’s efforts to improve reporting on Agri-Environment Indicators (AEI), this section also includes statistics on the presence of renewable energy sources. Renewable energy refers to power sourced from natural processes that are continuously replenished. This includes energy generated from solar, wind, hydropower, solid biomass, biogas, and other sources. As this is a new module which was introduced in 2023, there is no comparable data available from previous surveys. 

Machinery

In 2023, the estimated number of tractors owned on farms was 201,260. Of these, 47% had an engine power ranging from 81 to 134 Hp (approx. 61 to 100 kW).

X-axis label Number of Tractors
0-40 kW29845
41-60 Kw46082
61-100 Kw94416
≥100kW30918

10,339 farms reported owning at least one seeder or planter, including seed drills, planters, and seed sowers. In addition, 68,441 farms indicated ownership of at least one spreader, pulveriser, or sprayer for applying manure or fertilisers. 4,969 farms reported owning at least one combine harvester and 1,554 farms reported owning tillage machinery. 

X-axis labelType of Machiney
Tillage Machinery1555
Seeders and Planters10339
Spreaders, Pulverisers, or Sprayers for Fertilisers68442
Application Equipment for Plant Protection Products12913
Combine Harvesters4969
Other Fully Mechanised Harvesters4310

8,207 farms reported using grinder mixers for animal feeding, 9,073 farms reported using automatic feeding systems and 1,150 farms utilised milking robots to enhance their livestock management practices.

X-axis labelNumber of Farms
Welfare and health monitoring of animals36364
Grinder mixer for animal feeding8209
Automatic feeding systems9074
Automatic regulation of barn climate991
Milking robots1150

Precision Farming

9,734 farms operated GPS-guided machinery for applying plant protection products, while 1,507 farms incorporated robotics for precision farming.

Table 9.1 Usage of Precision Farming Equipment, 2023

The survey indicated that 3,281 farms employed variable rate techniques for one or more of the following activities: fertilisation, plant protection, weeding, sowing, planting, and others. 4,153 farms engaged in band-spraying for plant protection products. 53,107 farms conducted soil sampling for analysis.

Table 9.2 Engagement in Precision Farming Activities, 2023

Renewable Energy

In 2023, a total of 6,323 holdings in Ireland reported having at least one form of renewable energy source present on their farm, representing 4.7% of all farms. The most prevalent renewable energy source was photovoltaic solar energy, with 2,833 farms having photovoltaic solar panels on their land. 1,899 farms reported the presence of thermal solar panels on their land. Wind turbines were present on 1,374 farms during the same year.

X-axis labelRenewable Energy Types
Wind1374
Biomass490
Bio-gas from biomass215
Solar energy ( thermal)1899
Solar energy (photovoltaic)2833
Hydro-energy224
Renewable energy - Other Sources810
Any renewable energy sourse present6323