Thanks to funding from California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) FARMER program through California Climate Investments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is funding some of the first zero‑emission agricultural tractor demonstration projects in the state. BAAQMD and CARB recently awarded $1 million to manufacturers to produce seven zero‑emission tractors which are now in operation at The Mushroom Farm LLC, Old School Vineyards LP, Arroyo Lindo Vineyards, Crocker Estate, and Wente Vineyards.
There are many barriers in agriculture that have hindered the development and adoption of zero‑emission tractors. Agricultural tractors are used in a wide variety of operations which can be challenging for developing zero‑emission technologies. Tractors are needed in remote locations with little access to charging infrastructure, variable operating hours, seasonal usage, and large power demands. This demonstration project focused on developing and deploying smaller tractors which match the operational needs for vineyards and small farms. Monarch Tractor and Solectrac by Ideonomics produced seven zero‑emission tractors that are currently in operation. These tractors are helping to reduce near‑source exposure to diesel emissions for farm workers and visitors and shrink the carbon footprint from the vineyards and small farms where they are deployed.
Feedback about the tractors has been positive. Niki Wente of Wente Vineyards said, “We are always interested in learning about new technology that can further aid our sustainability goals and create a more efficient vineyard. Our goal in adding these tractors to our fleet includes reducing emissions, exploring automation and the potential for multi‑tractors per operator activities.”
Michelle Riddle of Arroyo Lindo Vineyard and Old School Vineyards said, "…electric tractors are appealing to us because they are quiet and diesel‑free, so they reduce our local emissions. Part of being sustainable is creating a healthy and safe environment for the people who work here at the vineyard. An electric tractor with no exhaust and much less noise will help us do that."
Monarch Tractor is completing their final report and Solectrac by Ideonomics will be wrapping up their project next year. The data collected as part of this project will be published by BAAQMD. In addition, both manufacturers have recently participated in the Clean Off‑Road Equipment voucher program (CORE), further improving market adoption of zero‑emission tractors.
There are still many obstacles to overcome in order to meet a variety of needs across the agricultural sector. This project demonstrates that it is possible to overcome these challenges through manufacturer innovation and collaboration between air districts, CARB, and agricultural stakeholders while advancing the state’s zero‑emission goals and climate targets.