Page 7. Farming Express
UK farm renewables challenges echoed across Europe
Farmers across Europe are wrestling with the
same pluses and pitfalls of renewable energy, according to researchers.
Speaking at last month's All-Energy exhibition
and conference in Aberdeen, researchers from the
city's James Hutton Institute compared renewable
energy production in Aberdeenshire, the Wendland-Elbetal region of Germany, and Vysocina in
the Czech Republic.
A common issue in all three countries was opposition from local communities and pressure groups,
said senior social scientist Lee-Ann Sutherland.
Anti-AD protestors objected to maize monoculture
and potential smell, while in the Czech Republic
people got particularly irate about the effect of
renewables subsidies on overall energy prices, she
said.
"Recently we've found that Scottish farmers have
become much more proactive in working with
their local communities, especially talking about
their plans ahead of time and on a one-to-one
basis," said Dr Sutherland.
All three countries seemed to face the same perceived problem of "saturation" before renewables
technologies had been implemented on the majority of farms - owing as much to public acceptance
as to physical limitations.
In addition, technology and installation costs were
rising, subsidies were being squeezed, competition
from energy companies was growing, and profits
were by no means assured, she said.
"It's not like many technologies, where the
pioneers take the risks and the followers reap the
rewards. We're witnessing something of a 'bandwagon effect', but farmers need to be careful not
Bovine TB 'ravaging' herds in West Berkshire
to jump on without being very sure of the business Bovine tuberculosis has been discovered
case."
in cows grazing on common land in West
are making significant progress in dealing
with the disease by restricting the movement
Berkshire amid fears the disease is "ravaging" of cattle, alongside reducing the badger
Comparing the three countries
herds in the county.
population.
In Germany and the Czech Republic anaerobic
The disease has been confirmed in three of
Mr Benyon accused some MPs who oppose
digestion predominated, and, in contrast to the
80 or so cattle on Greenham and Crookham the pilot culls of using "pretty extreme
UK, biogas technology there had mostly been
Commons.
language"