The Student Farm here at UC Davis is acting to reduce their fossil fuel consumption through the purchase of an electric gator. As part of their path to zero net emissions, the farm tracks the electricity usage of the gator. By doing this, the farm aims to calculate the solar energy equivalent of the power consumed by the gator in order to ultimately determine how much electricity is needed to be generated to offset their usage of the vehicle. With over 10,000 pounds of produce donated annually to campus partners, and 225-275 students involved annually with the Student Farm, this project seeks to demonstrate and broadcast the benefits of electric versus gasoline vehicles and the importance of energy efficiency on the Student Farm.
Jesus Trujillo (Mechanical Engineering and Precision Agriculture), Kelly Weihrauch (Environmental Science and Managment), Amanda Reardan (Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems), and Emma Torbert (Student Farm Market Garden Manager and Educator).