Savills launches renewable energy audit at CLA Game Fair

Savills unveiled its bespoke renewable energy service to showgoers at this Year’s CLA Game Fair at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

The firm, which sponsored the Renewable Energy Area at the event, has designed a systematic approach to help farmers and landowners assess the viability of green energy projects.

Miles Thomas, Savills renewable energy director, said the three-stage Savills audit began with a whole-farm appraisal. “The first stage takes about a month to complete and is really a big-picture analysis of what technologies the property might be capable of supporting, as well as the landowner’s particular interests.

“Having established the feasibility of any project, Stage Two is about exploring the viability of particular enterprises or technologies – so assessing irradiance levels for solar photovoltaics, windspeeds for turbines, that kind of thing. At this stage we can look at planning issues in more detail and approach councils and local authorities with suggestions.

“That enables us to start putting a strategy together for farmers or landowners, and stage three is the delivery of the project itself. We believe a structured approach is better and clearer, and unlike many of the consortia currently pitching renewables projects to farmers, we’re not attached to any particular technology and so can offer independent advice.”

Mr Thomas said interest from showgoers in green energy was noticeably higher at this year’s Game Fair, with people most keen to find out about solar energy or wind power issues.

View pictures from this year’s CLA Game Fair

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