Environment and Sustainability
Committee
Inquiry into Energy Policy and Planning
in Wales
EPP 214 - NFU Cymru
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES’ ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE INQUIRY INTO ENERGY POLICY AND PLANNING IN WALES
NFU Cymru welcomes the opportunity to comment on the above inquiry into energy policy and planning in Wales. NFU Cymru represents 22,380 farmers, managers and partners in agricultural businesses including those with an interest in farming and the countryside.
With over 75% of Welsh land area taken up by agriculture, we believe that our members are well-placed to capture renewable natural energy flows, while maintaining our traditional role in food production as well as the delivery of other environmental and land management services. It is NFU Cymru's aspiration that every farmer and grower should have the opportunity to become a net exporter of low-carbon energy. Agriculture can help to mitigate climate change, while contributing to both energy security and food security
Farmers in Wales have a number of potential options in terms of land-based renewable energy resources wind power, solar power and heating, a wide range of bioenergy technologies (biogas, energy crops, etc.), small hydropower and ground source heat are some of the technologies currently in operation throughout Wales.
NFU Cymru remains technology-neutral with respect to choosing renewable energy options and projects. NFU Cymru strongly supports those technologies that are commercially sound and economic under present day market conditions and Government policy framework. We do think that the policy framework should be regularly reviewed as circumstances change in respect to technological developments associated with each type of renewable resource.
With regards to specific policy framework documents of the Welsh Government NFU Cymru would wish to make the following comments with regards to TAN 8.
NFU Cymru believes that much progress has been made with new technology since TAN8 was updated in July 2005, whilst we do not necessarily feel that there needs to be a full scale formal review of TAN 8 we believe that the Welsh Government should focus efforts on 5 specific areas of concern within and associated with TAN 8:-
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