First barometer of the energy balance of French farms

This exclusive study, conducted with 1.000 farms out of the 3.000 that joined the program in 2025, offers an analysis of their direct and indirect energy consumption, the expenses incurred by farmers, and the savings opportunities identified at the farm level. It is complemented by sector-specific analyses focusing on arable crops, dairy cattle farming, and viticulture.

So, what are the main findings of this study? What is the average energy cost of a French farm in 2026? Which areas are the most energy-intensive? And above all, what optimization levers can be activated? Some answers are provided below.

Consumption levels that put a strain on farm costs

Following the diagnostic phase conducted in 2025 by program-funded facilitators with the first 1.000 farms to join the program, Fabacéé revealed that the farms analyzed consumed an average of 331.420 kWh per farm (equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of approximately 70 French households). Converted to euros, this consumption represents an average expenditure of €38.000 per farm per year, or 20% of the average farm's revenue.

Behind this average, however, lie significant disparities depending on the production system. With 779.482 kWh consumed per farm per year, arable farms are by far the most energy-intensive. They consume twice as much as dairy farms (349.948 kWh per farm per year) and nearly seven times more than vineyards (92.518 kWh per farm per year).

Logically, energy budgets follow the same trend, with an estimated annual expenditure of €65.130 for field crops, €38.500 for dairy cattle farms and €20.715 for viticulture.

GNR and fertilizers at the heart of the charges

Fabacéé's assessments reveal a clear finding: the energy consumption of farms revolves around GNR (Non-Road Gas used to power all mechanized work) and fertilizers. Together, these items account for between 50 and 75% of the consumption of the farms represented in the sample.

On large-scale crop farms, fertilizers alone account for 50% of energy consumption, followed by diesel (23%). In dairy farms, consumption is primarily divided between diesel (34%), animal feed (29%), fertilizers (17%), and electricity (12%). In viticulture, diesel is also the largest single energy use (37%), followed by fertilizers (33%) and other inputs, such as pesticides and packaging (26%).

More than 10% savings possible through targeted levers

Following this initial phase, to reduce energy consumption on the farms assessed, the 140 facilitators and the groups of farmers benefiting from the Fabacéé program identified several concrete levers for action, the impact of which has been quantified. The main area for reduction concerns non-road diesel (GNR): thanks to eco-driving and changes in farming practices (including reduced tillage), significant savings can be achieved. These savings are estimated to represent between 45% and 75% of the total energy savings potential, depending on the sector.

Actions targeting mineral fertilizer consumption (from nitrogen management tools – via decision support tools and spreading equipment – ​​to soil fertility improvement measures – tillage and the introduction of legumes) could achieve 20% to 40% of the total potential savings. Furthermore, actions improving forage self-sufficiency (grass and pasture management, increasing the quantity of legumes in rations) would contribute to a reduction in energy consumption ranging from 7% for arable crops to 17% for dairy cattle.

Finally, improving the energy efficiency of electrical equipment (solar water heater, heat recovery unit, milk pre-cooler) would offer more than 15% additional gains in dairy farms.

In total, the levers identified by Fabacéé would allow farms to reduce their overall energy consumption, both direct and indirect, by more than 10%. It is also interesting to note that this energy-saving target is achievable even on farms participating in the program that are already energy-optimized.

According to Romain Behaghel, Head of the Fabacéé program: “The results of this barometer are the fruit of fieldwork carried out by the 140 facilitators of the collective alongside the farmers committed to our program. They demonstrate that each farm has the potential to reduce its energy consumption. In an agricultural context under pressure, where the economic model of certain sectors is weakened, the observation we are making today must be a driving force for confidence and action.”

Good news: the energy saving action plans of these first 1000 farms involved in the program will save a volume of energy of 0,32 TWhc, equivalent to 5% of the production of a nuclear reactor in France, which corresponds to 25% of the total energy saving target by the end of 2027 of this first CEE program financed for the agricultural sector.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.