Agricultural mechanization has involved the partial or full replacement of human energy and animal-powered equipment (e.g. plows, seeders and harvesters) by engine-driven equipment. Most of this is tractor driven and to a lesser extent self-propelled equipment (including harvesters, sprayers, fertilizer applicators, planters and seeders). Agricultural mechanization has been pioneered in North America and Europe and more recently in Japan, and is now spreading rapidly throughout the world. Notwithstanding such progress, a significant element of human and animal powered mechanization remains, particularly in the poorer regions of the world.
With a decline in fossil fuel supply (inevitable in the medium to long term) the attention will switch to renewable sources for on-farm fuel use and to renewable and/or nuclear for off-farm electricity generation. The renewable fuel that is most likely to be suitable for use in tractors and other self-propelled machines is esterified oil from oilseeds.

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Agricultural mechanization has involved the partial or full replacement of human energy and animal-powered equipment (e.g. plows, seeders and harvesters) by engine-driven equipment. Most of this is tractor driven and to a lesser extent self-propelled equipment (including harvesters, sprayers, fertilizer applicators, planters and seeders). Agricultural mechanization has been pioneered in North America and Europe and more recently in Japan, and is now spreading rapidly throughout the world. Notwithstanding such progress, a significant element of human and animal powered mechanization remains, particularly in the poorer regions of the world.
With a decline in fossil fuel supply (inevitable in the medium to long term) the attention will switch to renewable sources for on-farm fuel use and to renewable and/or nuclear for off-farm electricity generation. The renewable fuel that is most likely to be suitable for use in tractors and other self-propelled machines is esterified oil from oilseeds.

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