Farmers must be part of the climate solution and benefit from the opportunities which renewable energy systems present was the key message from MEP Sean Kelly's opening address at the fourth annual Energy in Agriculture conference in Tipperary.

Addressing a large crowd of farmers and renewable industry representatives, Kelly explained that at European level there is a real challenge to design the Common Agricultural Policy that addresses both climate challenges and food production needs.

Opportunities

There are vast opportunities for farmers to diversify and expand on-farm renewable energy production, providing additional income streams and providing rural employment, he said.

With the introduction of the Support Scheme for Renewable Energy, biomass production will once again come into focus, with farming expected to play a key role through afforestation.

However, food production itself will need to become more efficient and sustainable, he said, citing the use of technology to guide nitrogen and precise use.

Focus on efficiency

“Before you look to invest in anything, you should first look to see how you can become more efficient,” Teagasc’s Barry Caslin emphasised.

“Every kilowatt hour of energy saved on the farm is a good as a kilowatt hour produced on the farm,” he stated, making reference to a number of case studies where dairy and pig farms improved efficiency by retrofitting of water pumps.

Shortcomings

There was universal acknowledgement that the 2020 targets of 16% of final energy use to come from renewable energy sources in Ireland was unachievable and that a significant amount of work had to be done to meet the 2030 targets.

However, Kelly was quick to state that there would be a greater effort at European level to ensure that individual member states meet their renewable targets.

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