Energy in farming: Equipment and suppliers

Inside the pump set, solar controller and ammonia plant

What this tab covers For each method, the main pieces of equipment, who makes them (by region) and what they are made of (bill of materials).

The key equipment is the tractor, the pump set (with its motor or engine), the solar pump system and, off-farm, the fertiliser plant. Provider lists are left empty where no reliable ranking was found.

Crop farming

Tractor¹³¹⁴

Provides draught and shaft power for field operations

United States Deere and Company, AGCO Europe CNH Industrial (New Holland, Case IH), CLAAS Japan and Korea Kubota India Mahindra and Mahindra

Bill of materials

Engine: Diesel engine with cast-iron block
Transmission: Steel gears and hydraulic system
Tyres: Natural and synthetic rubber

Livestock

Milking and milk cooling systems

Extract milk and chill it quickly to keep it safe

Bill of materials

Vacuum pump and pulsators: Electric motor, steel and plastic parts
Bulk milk tank: Stainless steel with refrigeration unit

Electric and diesel irrigation pumps

Submersible or monoblock pump set⁵

Lifts water from wells and canals

Bill of materials

Motor: Electrical steel laminations, copper windings
Impellers and diffusers: Stainless steel, bronze or engineering plastic
Column pipe and cable: Steel or HDPE pipe, copper cable

Small diesel engine

Drives the pump where there is no grid

Bill of materials

Engine block and crankshaft: Cast iron and forged steel
Fuel injection: Steel pump and injectors

Solar irrigation pumps

Solar pump system (panels, controller, motor-pump)²⁹

Turns sunlight directly into pumped water

Bill of materials

Solar modules: Crystalline silicon, glass and aluminium, often the largest share of system cost
Controller: Power electronics with maximum power point tracking
Motor: Permanent-magnet or induction motor, copper and electrical steel

Fertiliser

Ammonia and urea plant⁴¹⁷

Makes nitrogen fertiliser from natural gas and air

Europe Topsoe, thyssenkrupp Uhde, Casale United States KBR

Bill of materials

Reformer: Nickel-chromium alloy tubes with nickel catalyst
Synthesis converter: Steel pressure vessel with iron catalyst
Urea reactor: Corrosion-resistant stainless or duplex steel

Sources

Renewables 2025 Global Status Report: Agriculture REN21, 2025
Ammonia Technology Roadmap IEA, 2021
Agricultural Demand Side Management (Ag-DSM) Program in India: Adopting technologies to boost efficiencies (white paper) (2016 data) ICF International, 2016
Photovoltaics Report Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, 2026
Revenue of major farm machinery manufacturers worldwide, FY2022 Statista, 2023
Mahindra Farm Equipment Business surpasses production milestone of 70 lakh tractors (company press release) Mahindra and Mahindra, 2026
Licensor selection picking up for renewable ammonia synthesis loops Ammonia Energy Association, 2024