Harnessing Electric Tractors for Sustainable Farming in Ontario

In the last few decades, there have been growing concerns about climate change and its effects on humans, plants, and animals. The climate emergency impacts the health and economies of all countries and people around the globe; however, it is impacting people in low-income brackets at a much greater rate (ironically, low-income people have contributed the least to create and sustain the problem). Anthropocentric greenhouse (GHG) emissions in general and carbon emissions (C02) are primarily responsible for climate change. Therefore, the immediate reduction of all those emissions is vital to solving the climate crisis. One of the most effective strategies for reducing emissions is shifting to cleaner energy sources and decarbonizing energy use in the agricultural sector (which currently is one of the big users of fossil fuels). Therefore, a key goal of this major research report is to explore the advantages and barriers associated with using electric tractors to improve rural life while tackling pollution and reducing carbon emissions in rural areas. This research adopts a case study methodology to critically analyse the viability of introducing electric tractors powered with renewable energy, such as solar photovoltaics, which can help address the climate crisis while creating tangible benefits for Ontario farmers. Data was collected from electric tractor manufacturers in agricultural sectors across Europe and North America to understand market structure and environmental benefits of transitioning to electric mobility solutions powered by renewable energy sources in the agricultural sector of Ontario.