Biomass Uptake

The growing popularity of biomass as an alternative heating fuel for
Scottish businesses is helping to develop a new economic sector that is bringing jobs and wealth to rural
communities across the country.

Wind – Case Study

Middlepart Farm, Ayrshire

North Harris Trust

The 62,000 acre North Harris estate was purchased in 2003 by the 700 strong local community. The North Harris Trust – a community-led charitable organisation now manages the estate.

The land is mountainous with the highest hill, An Cliseam, reaching 2622 ft (699m) and is of

strong conservation value with multiple UK and European designations. The estate was historically seen from

outside as a “hunting and fishing” destination but was (and is) also important to local people living on the 130

crofts across the area.

A Trust was established to manage the estate and to facilitate community

development and regeneration. Like many farmers, The Trust is always looking for new income streams and to reduce

their dependence on subsidies and grants.

It was agreed very early on, that a profitable

project would be required to underpin long term sustainable development. With the aid of Community Energy

Scotland, who manage the Scottish Government's C.A.R.E.S fund, a feasibility study was undertaken to determine the

best options for renewable energy generation.

USA Wind Farms

Dust bowl to renewable energy production in one lifetime – that's the

latest story from the Texas panhandle on the High Plains of the United States.

Working Together

Two English farmers have recently begun enjoying the benefits of a

wind farm on their land with the enthusiastic support of thousands of local people who own shares in the

projects.

Westmill Wind Farm in Oxfordshire has been the ambition of farmer Adam Twine for over 15 years.

Adam always hoped the project might be community owned but had to talk to commercial developers when it looked as

though his dreams could not be achieved. However when they lost interest, Adam teamed up with Energy4All, a social

enterprise specialising only in community ownership projects.

The Winds of Change

As economic commentators at home and abroad continue to wallow in

the global gloom and doom, one area that is proving relatively unaffected by the turbulent financial markets and is

most definitely seeing a steady growth, despite recurring questions about its environmental and economic worthiness,

is that of small to medium wind farm projects.

New Holland is branching out further into green energy

New Holland's brand new

specialist willow header is to be put through its paces at a special coppicing demonstration on 18th and 19th March

at E.ON's groundbreaking Steven's Croft power station near Lockerbie.

The header, which easily attaches to

the FR9000 range of Forage Harvesters, has been designed to double the harvesting acreage of Short Rotation Coppice

Willow so far achieved by competitor products. And it means that, for the first time, willow contractors will be

able to harvest the crop far more effectively.

The New Holland willow header was developed as a prototype in

Yorkshire a year ago. Since then it has been tested and refined and is now being manufactured in New Holland's

plant in Pennsylvania, USA.

Hydrogen Hydraulics

Fuel costs form a significant proportion of farmers operating

costs now and in the future. New Holland believes hydrogen technology will give farmers an independent supply of

energy, which could be used in a wide variety of vehicles and applications, giving them greater control over the

future of their business.

Farmers Saving the Planet!

Farmers have looked after the countryside for years but

now they are being asked to save the planet!

Let the Wind Blow High

Robert Schiller of Craigdarroch Estate, Moniaive, combines

managing the Estate with a hectic schedule as a renewable energy consultant.

Farmer and senior consultant

with Laurence Gould – Robert Schiller – has been involved with on farm diversification projects for a number of

years. The focus has moved from office buildings, marinas, equestrian enterprises such as livery yards and racing

stables and the more traditional farm shops to renewable energy projects.
Based at home on Craigdarroch Estate by

Moniaive in Dumfriesshire, Robert mainly covers SW Scotland and NE England, but has ventures from Banff to Cornwall

on his books at the moment.