Energy rebel in the final: tractors on sunflower oil and 750,000 euros saved

Source: Julia Schürer, agrarheute, 7 October 2026 (German).

Wolfgang Löser and his energy farm are in the final of the CERES AWARD 2026, energy category. The trade magazine agrarheute, which awards the prize, presents him as an “energy rebel”: a farmer whose farm produces all its own energy – electricity and heat from photovoltaics, fuel and heating oil from sunflowers.

1973: the moment at the petrol pump

The trigger was the oil crisis. In 1973 the diesel ran out while Löser was filling up. The master car mechanic from Niederhollabrunn near Vienna drew his conclusions and converted his tractors – including a Steyr and a Case IH – to vegetable oil himself. Many people at the time thought it was a crazy idea. Today the 71-year-old is known far beyond Lower Austria, has written the book “Der Energierebell” (The energy rebel) and gives up to 100 talks a year.

For those who already know the farm: GAIA went on an excursion to the energy rebel (German) in 2014.

Sunflowers as an energy source

The heart of the farm is the sunflower:

• 10 hectares out of 60 are under sunflowers. In Löser’s experience, 10 to 15 per cent of the land is enough to cover a farm’s fuel needs.
• The farm’s own press produces around 1,000 litres of cold-pressed oil a week.
• The oil powers the tractors and a 21 kVA combined heat and power unit, which generates electricity and heat.
• Vegetable oil only ignites at 200 to 300 °C. Löser has therefore adapted the injection and engine management.
• From around 200 varieties he has selected a dozen whose oil stays liquid down to minus 18 °C – making it suitable for winter.
• With up to 20 per cent glycerine, the oil gives a stronger rise in torque when driving than fossil diesel.

A cycle instead of buying in

Fields and energy are interlinked on the farm. With cold pressing below 55 °C, phosphorus and magnesium remain in the press cake, which goes to the barn as feed or back onto the field as fertiliser and humus builder. Plough-free tillage saves fuel, and mechanical weed control replaces some of the pesticides. Löser’s principle: do not maximise yield, but profit – through low costs.

The balance

Löser has invested around 100,000 euros and saved around 750,000 euros in energy costs as a result. His conviction: almost every farmer could run an energy self-sufficient farm. Agriculture should once again do what it used to do as a matter of course – supply energy and raw materials as well as food.

The award ceremony

The CERES AWARD is being presented for the 13th time in 2026, in seven categories. What is assessed is not maximum yields but economic success together with courage, inventiveness and responsibility for family, farm, animals, nature and society. From the category winners, a jury chooses the “Farmer of the Year 2026”. The award ceremony takes place on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, at the Kosmos in Berlin.

We are keeping our fingers crossed!

Source: Julia Schürer, agrarheute, 7 October 2026 (German).