About Us
The Farm Energy Project is a think tank focused on farms, energy and greenhouse gas emissions. It was founded by farmers who wished to generate renewable energy, reduce their own emissions and help create a sustainable, low-emissions agricultural sector.
We continue to work and think from the perspective of practicing farmers, who we help to make sense of the rapid developments taking place in the field of renewable energy and translate them into effective action.
Our Work
Our mission is to help unlock the huge potential of farms to generate energy, cut greenhouse emissions and help create a sustainable rural economy.
Our thinking focuses on a number of themes, from which emerge research and practical projects. These projects broadly fall into the following categories:
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Policy development |
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Technology assessment |
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Design and testing of new business and financial models |
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Development of future farm scenarios |
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Land use in sustainable communities |
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Systems analysis |
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Process improvement |
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| The following thinking underpins much of our work: |
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With respect to energy, farms are underperforming assets. They have enormous untapped potential to generate and sell energy and fuels |
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Diversification into energy production and biological carbon capture and storage can enhance on-farm energy security and will generate new income for farmers |
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Linking local local production and consumption of electricity and fuels, and linking farms and urban areas for food and energy, will bring multiple benefits. These include sustainable local economic development, enhanced farm viability, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and communities with greater resilience. |
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Bringing farms into renewable energy production will have a negative or low marginal cost of abatement, i.e. it is cheaper than many other options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions |
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Poorly designed policy is the main barrier preventing the UK farms from diversifying into energy production |
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Our partners
We will work with any organisation or individual that shares our passion and interests. Our current partners and supporters include universities, businesses, trade unions, societies, charities, scientists, social entrepreneurs, public service providers, local authorities and community groups.
Our difference
We are a multi-disciplinary research team that includes working farmers. We have knowledge and experience across a wide range of fields, including renewable energy, technology assessment, greenhouse gases, fermentation, process improvement, lean thinking, planning, manufacturing, product development and launch, engineering and on-farm diversification.
Status
We are an independent, not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC). We have received funding for specific projects from the HDH Wills 1965 Trust, NESTA's 'Big Green Challenge Plus', DECC, the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and private individuals.
Want to find out more?
Browse our projects
Get in touch - we welcome contact from anyone with an interest in our work.
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