Solar energy ain't chicken feed

H&V News reported how a Herefordshire Chicken Farmer had just switched on the UK's largest privately owned photovoltaic solar panel installation in the UK, made up of 1,600 solar panels.

However, it notes that due to the planned subsidy cuts for large scale renewable installations (don't worry homeowners, your planned domestic solar installations are safe for now), it could be the last such installation of its kind.

Read more at H&V by clicking here.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

Farmers and land owners excited by renewable energy revenue

Buy-to-let Finance reported the results of a recent opinion poll of UK Farmers by a real estate agency, on the subject of renewable energy.

With land prices starting to increase and the new Government incentives for renewable energy production, it's no wonder that Farmers and land owners are excited.

In the survey, more than 90% of respondents said they were planning to install some form of renewable energy generating technology - from solar panels and wind turbines to hydro, as a means of revenue generation.

For example, it's estimated that two wind turbines could raise a farms annual profits by £250 per acre.

8% of landowners were already using renewable energy sources.

For a nice picture of some cows and the full report - click here.

photo credit: smudge9000

Farmers inundated with Solar system investors

The Telegraph ran a very interesting editorial last week on British Farmers and the expansion of turning over farmland to solar panels.

Already in Cornwall, over 40 farms have enquired after planning permission for photovoltaic solar projects.

The column does an excellent job of putting over both the views of the Farmers and investors but also carries reservations about the long term potential of what Farmers are seeing as a valuable source of income.

The article cites the recent cancellation of 50 anaerobic digestion plant schemes after farmers realised that the feed-in tariff for such schemes were too low to make the projects viable.

According to the article, experts are also warning that returns on solar projects are being overestimated by investors in trying to persuade farmers to sign up for generation schemes.

You can read the Telegraph's full report by clicking here.

photo credit: vimages

Wind Power - could we use farm assets more wisely?

I've said it before but it's really great to discover new sources of renewable energy 'talk' like this article on Farming Futures.

The gist is this - basically, farmers want to invest in renewables, given the large areas of land they own but are finding it difficult to get the right subsidies as bureaucracy dictates they simply cannot 'hook up' to the 'grid' if they're not using the energy themselves.

The article by David Hugill quotes other problems farmers are experiencing - availability of grid connection and confusion over what funding is and isn't supported.

I came away from reading the article thinking "we've really got to do more to support these guys". The opportunity for using large areas of land, whilst offering farmers an income without subsidies (for not growing crops or keeping livestock) must surely be seized?

The first 6 months of this year has flown by hasn't it? Bare in mind that there's only another 19 such periods to 2020 when we're supposed to be generating 15% + of our energy needs via renewables.

Read David Hugill's full article by clicking here.

photo credit: me'nthedogs