DEAR SIR: May I express my thanks for some excellent contributions in the Irish Farmers Journal’s sustainability section recently.

Reports, analysis and interviews were very relevant and there was a thought-provoking questions and answers session from Mark Foley of Eirgrid on the continuing efforts to provide clean and sustainable energy to us all.

It will become increasingly important to understand the possibilities and get involved

I would also like to guide the farming community to the dccae.gov.ie and seai.ie for information about participating in the new wave of renewable technologies and support schemes.

With energy prices being a major cost on farms, opportunities now exist.

It will become increasingly important to understand the possibilities and get involved, where the Department’s stated intention is to benefit the farm or project owner, the local community as well as contribute to the national agenda of lowering CO2 emissions.

There is help available from several organisations online

There are new guidelines on wind turbines and solar panels that are proving popular and will offset a percentage of electricity used on farms.

Biomass is already established, as are AD plants and other forms of electricity generation.

There is help available from several organisations online on all the technologies and which may be most appropriate.

Setting investments against annual returns is obvious

Some time spent reading up and talking to others already involved is worthwhile, as is getting advice from your financial adviser on any tax implications.

Setting investments against annual returns is obvious, along with existing Government farming incentives, with a view to improving the overall energy efficiencies on the farm, lowering costs and adding longer-term benefits for the next generation.

This is a strategy for the present and the future, with individual decisions to be made on the technology type, scale, investment, project partners and installers; So start the journey in 2020!

Read more

Powering rural Ireland: EirGrid going from fossil fuels to green energy

Planning granted for over 6,000ac of solar farms