ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.
If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, view access and subscription options

Aspects of planning an agricultural disaster control system in rural areas

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  2026 ASABE Annual International Meeting  2600737.(doi:10.13031/aim.202600737)
Authors:   Christoph Bader, Margarethe Stadlbauer, Jörn Stumpenhausen, Christina Maria Sebald, Heinz Bernhardt
Keywords:   Potential analysis, agricultural disaster control, rural areas, energy management, blackout prevention, food safety, emergency animal care

Abstract. In highly technologized societies, the continuous availability of energy as a critical resource is essential for maintaining societal, economic, and infrastructural functions. However, this availability is increasingly threatened by exogenous factors such as climatic events (e.g., flooding, wildfires), technological risks (e.g., system failures), and societal or security-related disruptions (e.g., sabotage or infrastructure attacks). These risks are particularly relevant for the design and operation of regional, decentralized, and renewable energy systems. The agricultural sector offers significant potential to contribute to decentralized energy supply structures. Through on-farm generation using photovoltaic, biogas, and wind power, combined with intelligent storage and load management, farms can achieve high energy self-sufficiency and feed surplus energy into local or supralocal markets.

Since 2013, the research initiative “Stable 4.0”, jointly conducted by the Technical University of Munich and the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf, has developed and validated system-specific foundations for an innovative agricultural energy management system (EMS). It focuses on integrating heterogeneous energy sources, optimizing farm-level energy flows, and developing scalable digital control concepts. A logical extension is the integration of agricultural energy systems into disaster management and emergency response structures in rural areas. The goal is to systematically incorporate energy-autonomous farms and agricultural surpluses into regional resilience and preparedness strategies. As environmental disasters increase in frequency and intensity, rural regions remain particularly vulnerable. Despite established response structures, untapped potential exists in leveraging agricultural resources to strengthen resilience. Farmers can support disaster preparedness and response by providing independent power systems, mobile generators, logistics, machinery, food supplies, and redundant communication technologies. This study presents initial findings on the role of farms as decentralized energy and supply hubs during crises, outlining practical approaches for rural energy supply points, redundant communication systems, and continuity of critical processes. Based on a defined pilot region, multiple disaster scenarios are analyzed to assess impacts on energy supply, communication, and logistics.

(Download PDF)    (Export to EndNotes)