Moffitt Symposium, Newcastle

University

18th September 2007

Oliver Harwood

The Contribution of Renewables to the UK Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy

The Contribution of Renewables

• The key messages of SFFS

• The impact of SFFS on policy

• How this has affected renewables

• The challenge for the countryside

• Some examples

• Conclusions

Sir Don’s Vision

• Reconnecting with the consumer• Delivering healthy safe food• Delivering wider conservation benefits• A profitable industry

The “Daughters” of SFFS and Renewables

• Biomass Task Force

• National Non Food Crops Centre

• Refocused research

• Cross Departmental working

• The role of the Regions

Biomass

• Biomass Task Force

• Biomass Implementation

Advisory Group

• Biomass Strategy

• Woodfuel strategy

Biofuels

• SFFS duty reduction call • The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation• Biofuels and sustainability

• Second generation fuels?

Wider commitments on Renewables

• EU agreement 20% energy by 2020

• 10% biofuel by 2020 (subject to conditions)

• Renewables Obligation

• Long term support for renewable heat?

• CERT, LCBP, Carbon trading

The contribution of land management

• EU Environment agency: 16% by 2020

• EU Commission: impact of 10% biofuels

• RELU study

• Food v Fuel?

• Other land based renewables

Multifunctional land management

• Demands are increasing

• Food and environmental security

• Pervasive market failures

• Role for UK and EU policy

• Securing policy and budget support

The challenge

Energy White Paper targets

• 1m ha energy crops

• 2m T woodfuel from private woodland

• Competitive biofuel crops

• Diversion of waste to Biogas

• 2000 more large wind turbines

• Microgeneration & Energy efficiency on the farm

Some examples of the rural opportunities

What works for you (and your banker)

?

•Biofuels? Wind?

•Biomass heat? Hydro?

•Biogas?

Biofuels: Greenergy

• Both imported and UK feedstock

• Soya, Palm Oil and OSR

• Proportions vary by season

• 300,000T feedstock

• 100,000T biodiesel

• Doubling production next year

Biomass Heat

• Energy supply companies

• Capital costs

• Feedstock supply

• District heating

• Grant problems

Biogas (Anaerobic Digestion)

• Waste processing

• Capital costs

• Grant problems

• “Win Win Win”

• Reduces Methane

Wind

• Capital costs

• Power purchase

• Grid connection

• Neighbour problems

• Lease land out?

Hydro

• Head and flow• Grid connections• New cheap (Chinese) equipment• Renewable Obligation support• A growing market

Conclusions on the options

• Heat viable• Biogas: the next big thing• Biofuel crops at competitive prices• Opportunities for entrepreneurs • New long term incentives required

Conclusions on SFFS

• Renewables do contribute to sustainable farming

• The countryside can do much more• Policy is moving in the right direction• But more needs to be done

Contact

Oliver Harwood MA (Cantab) MRICSChief SurveyorCountry Land and Business Association (CLA)16 Belgrave SquareLondonSW1X 8PQT 0207 235 0511e oliver.harwood@cla.org.uk