|
 Renewable Energy - essentiual part of any rural business plan
Savills Energy had a busy 3 days sponsoring the Renewable Energy Area and launching their Energy Audit, at the CLA Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on 22 – 24th July. Miles Thomas, Head of Savills Energy commented on the event: “Renewable Energy is now an essential part of any rural business plan and an integral part of the economy. The CLA has always recognised this and Savills were delighted to be sponsoring the first dedicated Renewable Energies area at this year's Game Fair.
“Attended by a significant proportion of the land owning and rural business community, the Game Fair is a unique blend of business and pleasure which provided a great platform for the launch of our Energy Audit. Being completely independent, the Energy Audit will help steer our clients through the maze of products and policies that fill the rural renewables market, ensuring technology, resource and business needs align.” According to the brief questionnaire that was filled out by visitors to the area, 90% of people who came to listen to Savills Energy launch their Audit were interested in solar energy, whilst 60% also wanted to know more about wind schemes. Duncan Brewer, Savills Energy team adds: “Solar energy quite clearly has fewer constraints than wind. The current feed-in-tariffs make what is at present a high cost technology an attractive financial proposition. The ease in which solar can be integrated into the rural and built environment opens up the scope for its deployment. The technology is relatively simple though pitfalls do existing and care needs to be undertaken at project inception and delivery.” The main barrier for those wanting to consider renewable energy generation was the cost involved in getting the schemes up and running, over and above the visual impacts.
Nick Green, Savills Energy team comments; “The costs in developing a renewable project can be eye-watering and anyone thinking about a scheme needs to have funding at the back of their mind at all times through a project. The Energy Audit is designed with Banks in mind and can form the backbone of a business plan to present to a lender. “If the costs involved with self developing are off putting it is worth considering whether to involve a developer and leasing the site to them or entering a joint venture to reduce exposure to the costs and the risks of developing a scheme.” |
Farm finance & grants 
