A dramatic fall in income, coupled with rising energy costs, has led to increasing numbers of farmers turning to wind turbines as an additional source of revenue ahead of looming energy regulator deadlines.
All proposed new turbines need to be pre-registered with regulator Ofgem by December 31 and hundreds of farmers are working to beat the end-of-year deadline and benefit from the maximum available revenues.
There are now more than 500 planning applications being considered by councils across the UK and figures from turbine suppliers show more than 200 farm-scale turbines could be connected to the grid by the next Feed-in Tariff deadline, in April 2014, as farmers seek to bolster incomes.
"More farmers are looking beyond traditional enterprises to survive and the financial benefits of wind turbines for farms are becoming more widely known," said Steve Milner, MD of Earthmill, one of the UK's specialist farm-scale wind turbine suppliers and installers.
"Over the last quarter, we have seen an increase in demand of over 150% for single-turbine surveys and power evaluations from working farms.
"Impending reductions in the Government's green energy incentives are also fuelling record demand for farm-scale wind turbines.
"It is giving farmers the motivation to look at renewables as an additional source of revenue, especially those in dairy, pig and poultry farming where large amounts of electricity are consumed," he added. Mr Milner believes recent innovations in design have improved generation levels from turbines and lifespan.
He said farmers who install one or two turbines in ideal weather locations, and with the right topography, can see the double benefits of energy savings and generation income that typically add up to well into five-figure sums.
Market round-up
United Auctions sold 603 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 311.6p per kg and an average of 222.1p (+3.1p on the week), 1250 store bullocks peaked at 283.5p and levelled at 236.2p (+5.3p) and 225 store, B&W bullocks sold to 202.1p and averaged 151.3p (-5.1p). In the rough ring, 147 cows averaged 117.5p.
The firm also sold 4838 store lambs. Top prices and averages: Suffolks to £68 and averaged £61.86 (+£2 on the week); Texels £72 and £61.60 (+7p); Mules £61.50 and £57.46 (+£2.48); Blackfaces £54 and £43.16 (-£2).
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