A conference concluded that the north-east of England has great potential for renewable energy, following its commitment to producing 20 per cent of all the electricity consumed in the region from renewables by 2020.
A capacity crowd of 220 farmers and land managers attended an important seminar and exhibition organised by the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) with support from Farming Futures last month.
That ambition shown in the 2020 target seems to be matched by the land management community, with 85 per cent of those surveyed at the event saying that they think renewables are a good, or potentially good, business opportunity. Some 26 per cent said they would “definitely take action” after the event and 56 per cent said they would investigate options further.
As well as presentations from the CLA and Farming Futures, sponsors Wardell Armstrong, Sintons, Fisher German, ONE and SFFS brought along their renewables experts to explore the business case for investing in renewable energy, with much attention given to the financial incentives such as the new feed-in tariffs planned for 2010.
Madeleine Lewis of Farming Futures said: “The UK is now legally bound to produce 15 per cent of our energy from renewable sources by 2020 and each region has a part to play in this. The new financial incentives being proposed by government are making it look a more attractive investment. By investing in renewables, farmers and land managers can turn a profit as well as contribute to a low-carbon and energy-secure future.”
In February 2009, half of all farmers surveyed in England as part of the Farming Futures project said they were already affected by climate change and more than 60 per cent expect to be affected in the next 10 years.
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