The objection to farm investment by those living nowhere near the proposed building is nothing unusual for those involved in renewables projects.

It has stifled developments up and down the country in that sector for over 30 years. It was very interesting to hear first-hand examples of recent community renewables development investments at the recent Energy and Farm Diversification event at Gurteen.

We listened as a small panel of experts shared their experience. If I was sitting in the audience listening to the panel, would I go out the door bursting with enthusiasm to get involved in a renewables project? Unfortunately not.

Would I be bowled over with enthusiasm that a community project would sail through planning because of our Government’s ambition for home grown energy? Definitely not.

As one of the participants on the renewable panel in Gurteen said – it seems some organisations objecting to planning sometimes trade under some sort of an environmental badge so they can defray their legal costs all the way to the High Court.

That legal fee alone would be enough to kill many local community projects. As long time renewables project developer Tommy Cooke said, it’s one thing an individual taking on a personal investment risk, but for a community to take it on is a different kettle of fish.

Long established developers, Tommy Cooke and Greg Allen outlined successful community renewables projects they have been involved in.

Tommy’s most recent project took 11 years to get through planning, and Greg’s most recent solar projects have both been waiting eight and 11 years respectively, and neither are across the line yet.

Passion

For many community projects, that’s a lifetime. Life changes, people come and go, demands change – so much can happen in 10 to 15 years. Without passionate drivers, it’s almost nonsensical to even consider the projects given the timescale.

The terms and conditions around the Department’s incentive to drive this renewables investment wave are due to be released towards the end of the year.

Essentially what we know already is that it will provide grant aid for farmers that want to invest for themselves (ie use on farm), but also for those that want to export energy as an income generator.

If exporting, the Department’s proposal is that a 15 year guaranteed tariff would be established to help make financing an investment viable.

Our renewables editor Stephen Robb reports from talking to the industry and Irish Farmers Journal analysis that the already announced guaranteed tariffs for this scheme fall short of what is needed to make projects work.

At the Gurteen event, the Department argued they have to strike a balance, and the fact that it’s PSO levy funded, they can’t set guaranteed tariffs too high or it would be unfair on general consumers.

So planning and financing are two big risks for renewables projects. The other challenge is grid connection. Grid consultant Rory Mullen also spoke at the Energy and Farm Diversification show.

While he was hopeful that ESB was beginning to sort out some issues, he said it can very much be a local congestion problem, depending on other local renewables projects.

Greg Allen was hopeful that in the next number of months, ESB will work on stretching the grid to allow wind and solar to co-exist in some respects.

So for all three legs of the renewables stool, there are challenges – the financing, the planning and the grid connection.

Yes, they can all work, but all speakers suggested there will be unseen risks and unforeseen costs.

So for all the political soft talk of renewables being a clear alternative as an income generator option for farmers and rural dwellers, it’s clear the road is not without twists.

If the Department of the Environment is serious about creating a valid and reliable renewable sector, clearly some innovation and adoption of international best practice is needed.

So many European countries are years ahead of us on this journey, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.