Solar parks and turbines

The sight of solar parks and wind turbines are not to everyone’s taste but such visual impacts must be balanced against the prospect of more extreme weather patterns associated with climate change.

I will pin my colours to the mast – I do believe that burning fossil fuels is contributing to climate change.  

I recall doing A-level chemistry back in the early 1980s and when my teacher explained the potential impact of liberating greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and many of his predictions appear to be coming true.

For instance 2014 was the warmest year on record in the UK and eight of the UK's top ten warmest years have happened since 2002.  Similarly 2014 was the fourth wettest year since the Met Office records started in 1910, meaning we have experienced five of the UK's top six wettest years since 2000.

I believe this is sufficient evidence to make us think very seriously about the impact that burning fossil fuels has on our climate.  But the government has taken a retrograde step in turning off support for many renewable projects so abruptly and yet at the same time also appears to be encouraging fracking. This does not make climatic sense.

Then we saw our government do a deal with the Chinese government over the building of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, demonstrating that David Cameron does see the need to subsidise non-carbon energy production to provide security of supply.  I do not disagree with this but I do question the muddled thinking regarding the government’s wider energy policies and the impact this is having on the renewable energy sector in particular.

This sector has grown strongly from virtually nothing over the last 10 years and has become increasingly efficient with the result that solar projects are on the verge of becoming cheaper than gas as a means of generating electricity. 

Therefore reducing subsidy for solar projects was the right thing to do, but cutting it by 87 per cent is too extreme and will constrain the development of this form of renewable energy which has not only helped reduce the production of climate damaging gases but also provided opportunities for many farmers and landowners here in the South West. 


James Stephen MRICS FAAV
Partner
Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor, Wells
T: 01749 683381
E: james.stephen@carterjonas.co.uk

EU changes it's renewable energy targets

Last week the EU announced that it was going to change its renewable energy targets although at the time of writing the significance of this is as yet unclear.

 

At present the target is to cut emissions measured against those produced in 1990 by 20 % by 2020 and for 20% of energy consumption to come from renewable sources by that date. This policy has certainly had a major impact on the British countryside with wind turbines and solar PV “farms” springing up all over the place.

 

These projects have been driven by subsidies and it these subsidies which have been blamed by major electricity supply companies for pushing up our energy prices and this subject has clearly become a “hot political potato”.

 

But, if we believe climate change is important, there is little doubt that significant financial incentives will be required over a long period to encourage the huge investment which is required to shift our energy supply chain away from fossil fuel based technologies to low or zero greenhouse gas emitting sources of energy.

 

It is believed the EU’s change in policy will still involve setting targets on the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions but countries will be given freedom on how to achieve these targets. This will cause concern in some quarters because the viability of many renewable energy projects is dependent upon the receipt of subsidies and provided there is confidence that the subsidies will continue then so too will investment.

 

It is believed the new target will be a 40% reduction in 1990 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 but each country can choose how to achieve this, whether that be through investing in renewables, nuclear or perhaps by burning gas rather than coal for instance. As you can see this could result in a shift in emphasis away from renewable energy technologies if the government so wishes. This could have a effect farmers and landowners, many of whom have looked at renewable energy projects as a significant additional source of income.

 

It is too early to tell what impact if any the recent EU announcement will have on our domestic energy policy but a lack of certainty going forward is a concern highlighted by Jonathan Scurlock, NFU chief advisor on renewable energy and climate change. He said, “The failure to send a clear message to the renewable energy supply chain makes some investors nervous.” He went on to comment that the government showed a “lack of enthusiasm” for renewables while showing encouragement of fracking.

 

Clearly fracking is yet another whole subject which could have an impact on our countryside on which we do not have space to comment here but on which there will no doubt be many more column inches written in the coming years.

 

Carter Jonas’ energy team can provide advice and comment on any Renewable Energy proposals and for any queries in the South West please contact Thomas Ireland in their Wells office on 01749 683386.  

James Stephen MRICS FAAV
Partner
Rural Practice Chartered Surveyor, Wells
T: 01749 683381
E: james.stephen@carterjonas.co.uk