Communicating the benefits of renewable energy
Producing sufficient energy to maintain industry, transport and domestic life in Britain is one of the biggest challenges of the modern age.
With the nation switching away from fossil fuels, uncertainty over the future of our ageing nuclear power stations and long delays before new ones are operational, there is an increasing reliance on renewables.
Landowners have, over centuries, played their part in powering Britain, from providing the sites for coal mines to growing timber and operating windmills and water wheels.
In more recent years, however, the centralisation of energy generation and its distribution across the country has distanced much of rural Britain from the business of producing the power we all need.
Today that’s changing.
Farmers and landowners are being approached by energy companies, or are putting their land forward, to provide suitable sites for solar farms, biogas or anaerobic digestor (AD) plants and battery storage projects (BESS). Many are also growing crops for use in energy generation.
The principle that energy generation is shared more widely across the country, with rural areas playing their part, is a good one. Creating energy closer to where it is needed is cost effective and efficient because power is lost the further it must travel.
Location is a key concern for renewable energy projects, in respect of both electricity and gas. The grids were built in and for a different age. The electricity grid, for instance, was built to supply the nation from large, centralised power stations close to the old coal mines.
Today, new sources of energy need to be built close to existing grid connections. Build them too far away and costs rise for all involved, including consumers. We don’t have the time, nor as a nation the money, to rebuild grids from scratch.
But no one needs telling that solar farms are controversial or that there is often resistance to the planting of crops for use in AD plants. Onshore wind turbines are back on the agenda following Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ speech on Monday (8th July). She scrapped the Tories’ moratorium on onshore wind. Schemes are likely to face further challenges from the public.
As a communications consultancy, representing both energy companies and landowners, KOR is playing a major role in bringing information about renewable energy projects to communities and stakeholders affected by developments.
The information we share is important. No one wants to scaremonger but the implications of energy shortages are hugely significant. Electricity is crucial to all aspects of modern life and the changes we are undergoing as we attempt to combat climate change and meet rising demand for electricity mean we must expand alternative ways to generate power.
The facts are clear.
New nuclear plants are taking longer than initially thought to be approved and constructed.
By 2028 it is expected that all seven of the country’s advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGR) will be decommissioned.
The country’s only pressurised water reactor (PWR) plant, Sizewell B, is expected to be decommissioned in 2035.
Britain’s only remaining coal-fired power station is due to be taken out of use by October 2024.
Andrew Howard, KOR’s Senior Public Affairs Consultant has wide experience of the energy sector and the planning process. He says with any application for a renewable energy project early engagement with the community is essential.
“When you start talking about renewable energy there is a gap in the public understanding of what needs to be done,” he said. “We can help to make the case for why a project is vital and also speak up for rural estate owners who have a commitment to their communities.
“In the end it is about improving understanding and underlining the importance of moving the generation of power closer to where it is used. Britain is moving towards a decentralised system to increase security of supply, lower carbon emissions and reduce transmission losses, making the most of all the electricity generated.”
For many landowners providing sites for new solar installations can be financially attractive, particularly as the agriculture subsidy support system changes. But there are challenges too, especially for rural estates keen to maintain a strong and positive relationship with their communities and other stakeholders.
Navigating this challenging environment requires expert support. Public backing for a project makes the process so much smoother. Failing to engage and consult with communities can create suspicion and opposition.
The technical and financial aspects of any renewable energy proposal are, of course, crucial. But so is the communications strategy. The story of renewable energy is a positive one, but it needs to be properly told.