Scottish renewables generation wouldn’t be where it is today without the input and co-operation of rural and agricultural communities.
According to Carter Jonas senior energy consultant Chris Keenan, these communities are key to meeting the Scottish Government’s target of producing 100% of the country’s domestic electricity needs from renewable sources by 2020.
Data released in December last year reveals Scotland had a record-breaking year for renewables in 2012, producing enough electricity to meet 40.3% of the country’s domestic electricity needs.
Without farmers letting out land for windfarms and solar schemes, or allowing access for cabling from offshore wind schemes to the grid, it is highly unlikely Scotland would have the 6GW of installed renewables capacity it has to date.
Community input and acceptance is just as important, as demonstrated by the various charters encouraging developers to pay into local community funds and engage with residents from an early stage.
“Developers and statutory bodies have increasingly seen the importance of community ‘buy in’ to renewables projects and we have seen an increase in community consultation from the earliest stages of project development,” says Keenan.
He says, although not always done successfully in the past, developers are now more conscientious about ensuring their developments reflect the interests and voices of rural and agricultural communities.
However it’s not always plain sailing for landowners when dealing with renewables developers.
Reports emerged in November last year of landowners being “steam-rolled” by offshore wind developers over cabling arrangements – one farmer was asked to sign a 170-year lease for cabling, with the threat of compulsory powers as an alternative, despite the fact the Crown Estate only leases out the seabed for a 50-year term.
SAC Consulting renewable energy team leader Jim Campbell says dialogue between developers and the agri-rural community is key.
“It’s good to talk,” says Campbell. “Landowners need to be prepared to negotiate and not accept the first offer that is made. Similarly with community groups, the range of payments for local benefit offered is quite variable and early dialogue with developers can be worthwhile.”
Scottish Renewables senior policy manager Joss Blamire says the vast majority of installed capacity in Scotland is in the form of onshore wind – around two thirds at 4GW – with legacy hydro schemes making up the second largest chunk of capacity at around 1.5GW.
He says the industry supports more than 11,000 jobs in Scotland and investment in the sector was worth £1.5billion in 2012.
And as the Scottish Government pushes forward to meet its target of having 500MW of local and community-owned renewables power in place by 2020, the role of rural and farming communities in renewables generation will become more important.
Community energy projects are popping up across the country. A prime example is the Dingwall Wind Co-op – Scotland’s first 100% community-owned wind energy project.
The co-op will own and manage a 250kW wind turbine at Knockbain Farm, just above the town of Dingwall.
The project is funded via a shares scheme, which has raised nearly £1million from its 170 members, of whom more than 85% live within a ten-mile radius of the turbine site.
Blamire says the next few years will see more offshore wind turbines come on line – around 5GW are planned – as well as growth in the biomass sector. This is particularly attractive to rural communities and farmers where a high heat demand exists – pig and poultry producers, for example, or community halls and swimming pools.
However, grid capacity remains a real challenge in Scotland, admits Blamire, who says small-scale renewable energy generators face lengthy delays getting schemes hooked up to the grid.
Farmer involvement doesn’t end at leasing arrangements with developers – there is also a growing appetite among the agricultural community to develop on-farm renewable energy projects.
In fact, a survey carried out by Nottingham Trent University, in conjunction with Farmers Weekly and Forum for the Future, reveals that 76% of farmers think renewables will play an important role in their business in the future.
Nearly three-quarters of the 700 farmers surveyed across the UK, said on-farm renewables should play a major part in meeting the country’s future energy needs.
The most popular technology among respondents was solar, followed by wind, with the main driver for installing green energy schemes cited as a bid to reduce on-farm energy costs.
Keenan says: “Renewables development in all forms can provide benefits to farmers by providing a long-term alternative income stream to assist in farm finances and indeed allow further investment.”
Campbell agrees and says reform to European farm support payments under the Common Agricultural Policy – a new direct payments scheme will start in 2015 – means farmers need to look at all the opportunities available to them, including renewables, to maintain the viability of their businesses.
Renewable Energy Association senior policy analyst Mike Landy says renewables schemes can also feed back into the agricultural industry.
Digestate from anaerobic digestion plants – often run on-farm using wastes such as manure or purpose grown crops – can be used as a fertiliser, and the by-products from biofuel plants are used as high protein animal feed products.
As to whether or not the looming Scottish independence referendum in September is putting the brakes on green developments is unknown.
Keenan says it does cause some uncertainty and increases the perception of risk associated with investing in renewables.
“However, it is all about a perception of risk and we continue to see strong interest in the Scottish market across a range of technologies and scales,” he says.
Case study
Scottish farming stalwart Maitland Mackie is a key ambassador for renewable energy and not shy to criticise government for its failings, in his eyes, in allowing foreign companies to take ownership of major energy schemes.
His interest in renewables started in 2007 on the home farm in Westertown, Inverurie, when the first of four wind turbines was installed.
More than six years down the line, the business, which produces more than 12million litres of ice cream every year under the famous Mackies brand, has 3.2MW of wind power and around 1MW of solar power in place.
“I was enthralled at what a success it has been. The original idea came from the next generation,” says Mackie.
“We turn the wind, the rain and the sun into ice cream – we use about 40% of our own output and the rest goes to the grid.”
To Mackie, installation of renewable energy schemes is a no-brainer for agri-rural communities because of the economic benefits they offer.
“Renewable energy can supply all the energy of the world at the cheapest rate, and it’s totally unlimited,” he says.
He has repeatedly called on the Scottish Government to develop policies which encourage local ownership of energy schemes.
“There’s a huge chance for the locals here, there and every where across the world in owning their energy instead of it all being mopped up by 20 or so international companies,” says Mackie.
“Everybody in the UK should own their own – it’s ridiculous to allow it to go where it’s going. There have to be benign policies that help the local people to take ownership.”
Recommended for you
