Friday 21 November 2014

UK farms ‘hold 10GW of untapped green energy’

Farms in the UK hold at least 10GW of untapped renewable energy potential and could be crucial in helping the nation move towards a low carbon economy.

However “a number of obstacles stand in the way, including reliable access to grid connections and constrictive planning systems”, according to the Farm Power Coalition.

Made up of leading farming bodies, businesses and NGOs, the Coalition is calling on policymakers to ensure the barriers are removed.

They are also urging supermarkets to build on the work they are already doing with farmers by committing to buying home-grown energy and backing their vision.

The amount of untapped resource – equivalent to more than three times the installed capacity of the proposed new power plant at Hinkley – could rise to 20GW is ground-based solar projects are supported.

Iain Watt, Project Lead at Forum for the Future said: “The fact this potential can be met in a manner that complements food production – livestock and poultry production can happily co-exist with ground-based solar and farm-scale wind and energy production can also provide space for the pollinators upon which much food production depends – provides all the justification politicians should need to embrace the farm power revolution.”