Chapter 11 : Farms Powered by Green Energy and Smart Robots

Can you imagine an agricultural coastal corporation that provided a one-stop shop for farmers? They had all the data on the market. They would know which crops would sell and for how much in each part of the world.  They had all the data on which crops could grow and where and how to grow them. Then they sold off-the-shelf solutions to farmers which had been tried and tested. They underwrote the package on the condition that all their recommendations were followed. This could happen if those same coastal corporations were supplying the farmer with all the water, fertilizers, finance, and equipment needed.   

These corporations would tap into the latest research to provide the best solutions to their clients, the farmers. For instance, sensors in the ground tell farmers exactly how much water to provide for what type of crop and what soil type. Artificial intelligence allowed pest and weed control via robots using selective spraying. The list of new ideas for improving production could be endless. Costs would keep dropping, and the off-the-shelf solutions would quickly prove their worth.

The Australian inland areas have been arid for millennia. The soils may not be rich in nutrients and able to sustain intensive farming. Can these soils be improved over time with the right care and treatment? What crops can be planted in the poor-quality soil that will improve the soil over time? Once a reliable supply of water exists, could the farmer plant legumes or clover, or alfalfa? Can tankers full of sewer waste from towns and cities be used to fertilise depleted land as a free service from coastal corporations and subsidised by Governments?

In the meantime, can such farms still be productive by producing energy from solar farming? Even farms with poor-quality soil get hit by sunlight. Such farms can still help draw more desalinated water inland. If the farmer doesn't use the water earned from the green energy produced, then the water licenses earned can be sold on the open market. The savings obtained can be used later to buy off-the-shelf crop packages after the condition of the soil has been sufficiently improved.

Instead of building cars and parts for cars, let's build productive farmland. We can do it if we put our minds to it. And only we can do it because it’s our land. We don't have to compete in a cutthroat world market with no competitive advantage. And think about it… People like Warren Buffett love investing in productive farmland. Let's make some more.

As robots and artificial intelligence replace labour at an ever-increasing rate, the only factor worth competing on will be the cost of energy to drive the robots and artificial intelligence. If our farmers are harvesting energy as well as crops in the future, all of our farms, no matter where they are, if connected to the electricity grid, will reap the rewards. This is such a no-brainer. I don't know why people can't see it coming from a mile away!

We have discussed farms receiving desalinated water in exchange for green energy supplied from their farms. We also mentioned water silos with a dynamo at their base. These water silos not only force potable water further inland, they also generate electricity when the sun doesn't shine via a dynamo at the base of the water silo. 

Apart from that, if the farmer demonstrates a willingness to embrace this new regime of farming crops and energy, but has soil salinity issues, then the following benefits should accrue. If that farmer gets on board with this project, then a massive salt battery should be built on their farm, subsidized by the government to the tune of 80%. When it supplies energy to the grid, the farmer gets 20% of the proceeds of the energy generation. So if the land becomes too saline to grow anything, just turn it into a massive power station. As more salt rises, make the salt batteries larger and larger. Now they are not just a farmer, they are a profitable part of the grid.  

If we don't have a WW3 or we survive it, then the future will be about clean energy generation. You can already see the trend evolve in South Australia. Critics said that no one can survive without some fossil fuels in their energy mix. South Australia will be totally green energy by 2027 if everything goes to plan. It has many mamufacturing industries lining up to work in their state because they will be totally green powered by 2027, and those industries want to be a part of that. They also want to tell the world they produce clean products from a clean energy state. It's a marketing coup. If the other Australian states are not watching this closely, then they are fools. 

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