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Re on farm survey outline results
1. Stimulating On-Farm Renewable Energy
Production in the EU: Why Farmers are (Not)
Involved and Ways to Improve this
Wilma Steeneveld, Katharina
Umpfenbach, Elisabeth
Süßenbacher, Piotr Dziamski,
Emiliano Maletta, Berien Elbersen,
Bas Pedroli, Hans Langeveld
Creating benefits for farmers and society
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
2. Project details
Project title: Impacts of Renewable Energy on European
Farmers
Reference: AGRI-2010-EVAL-03, Contract Notice 2010/S
53-077521
DG AGRICULTURE AND
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Lead Contractor: Alterra
Wageningen UR, in cooperation
with Ecologic Institute, IEO EC-
BREC, SORIACTIVA, ECN and
Wageningen University
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
3. Background
On-farm RE production has the potential to play a
crucial role in the transition of European agriculture, as:
•it provides a new, additional, source of farm income;
•it supports the rural economy by creating new jobs and
added value;
•it reduces CO2 and other GHG emissions in different
economic sectors (agriculture, energy, transportation),
thereby delivering a public good;
•it reduces dependence on oil-exporting countries;
•it supports the development of innovative new
industries in member states, with the potential of making
Europe a front-runner in farm-based energy production.
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
4. Study approach
• Questionary surveys (800
farmers)
• 8 study regions in 4 countries
(Austria, Germany, Poland and
Spain)
• Available in literature and public
sources of information
• Farm based simulation model to
predict effects on farm economy
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
5. Analysis farm survey
Focus of the analysis
-- factors determining RE investments (age,
income, farm size, successor, attitude,
subsidies)
-- impacts of RE investments (income, labour,
crop choice, input use, crop sales, land prices)
-- barriers for RE development (solvability,
attitude, economic perspectives, subsidies,
permits, opinions of other farmers)
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
6. Project objective and problem
formulation of the project was to provide a
The overall objective
quantitative assessment of the actual contribution of RE
produced on-farm to the overall EU targets on renewable
energy and on GHG emissions reduction, as well as on the
role of on-farm RE production on the farm economy, income
and allocation of production factors and general farm
production.
The project also identifies existing barriers to successful on-
farm RE development and gives suggestions on policies that
can overcome these.
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
7. Overview of case study regions
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North East High (except for Central Wind, biogas,
Continental Humid continental Large-scale, mixed Maize, wheat, rape German average
Brandenburg, DE PV) Europe biofuel
Low (except for Central
Saarland, DE PV) Europe
Atlantic Humid oceanic Small-scale farms PV, biomass German average
Maize, wheat,
Mediterranea
Southern Dry Continental- rape, sunflower, Biomass, wind, Spanish average
Soria, ES Medium-high
Europe
n North &
Mediterranean
Large-scale, mixed
Small Hydro, PV (high quality)
legumes, forage
mountains
crops
Fruits, citrus,
Wind, biomass
Southern Mediterranea Coast- horticulture, olives, Spanish average
Valencia, ES Medium-low
Europe n South Mediterranean
Small-scale mixed bio-ethanol,
(high quality)
vineyards and
Hydro, Solar
winter cereals
High economic Cereals, potatoes,
dynamism, but Central- silage maize, Small scale wind,
Temperate-
Mazowieckie, PO lower RES eastern Continental
Continental
Small scale, mixed horticulture, biomass, biogas, Polish average
development Europe forage crops - solar
potential meadow
Low economic
dynamism, but Central- Large scale
Warminsko- Temperate - Large scale, Cereals, rape, Below Polish
high RES eastern Continental wind, biomass,
Mazurskie, PO Europe
Continental animal husbandry forage crops
biogas, solar
average
development
potential
Northern Upper Central Alpine- Livestock farming,
High Continental Maize, cereals Biogas, biofuels Austrian average
Austria, AT Europe continental arable crops
Central Forest-based
Carinthia, AT Low Alpine Alpine Forestry, livestock Austrian average
Europe biomass biogas
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
12. Results
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
13. Results
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
14. Results
All developed probit
models show very
clearly that none of the
farm and farmer
characteristics
contribute to the
explanation whether
farmers invested in RE.
This is, however, due to
the extreme
overrepresentation of
farmers that did not invest
in RE versus those who
did.
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
15. Results
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
16. Results
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
19. Conclusions (I)
Feed-in tariffs are very effective enhance on-farm RE. Investment subsidies
are showing lower impacts. Most effective stimulation of on-farm RE through
stable, preferably guaranteed, prices for fixed periods of time. Farmers have
indicated to accept lower prices if those are guaranteed over time.
RE types like wind energy, PV energy, solid biomass and bioenergy crops can
contribute significantly to farm incomes. PV and wind are safe options that do
not require extra management. Woody biomass and biogas can provide
additional jobs on farms.
In the light of the recent economic crisis and subsequent increases in
unemployment RE production could be opportunity to generate additional
income and new jobs.
Policies for stimulation of second generation energy crops are relatively
poorly developed, while the relevance of bioenergy cropping in national action
plans is often considerable.
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
20. Conclusions (II)
Although the perspectives of decentralised production of renewable
energy are large in many countries, infrastructural requirements to
accommodate its production are still underdeveloped in most regions
Procedures to obtain permits for RE production often can be a barrier for
farmers willing to invest in RE capacity.
Although investment subsidies do not seem to have had a major effect on the
development of on-farm RE, in specific cases they can offer a stimulus to
farmers to invest in RE production, especially in building woody biomass CHP
plants, wood chip heating systems and biomass transportation systems.
Combined with proper long-term feed-in tariffs this is a powerful incentive to
stimulate RE development in the agricultural sector.
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
21. IMPACTS OF
RENEWABLE ENERGY ON
EUROPEAN FARMERS
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION
Wilma Steeneveld, Katharina Umpfenbach,
Elisabeth Süßenbacher, Piotr Dziamski,
Emiliano Maletta, Berien Elbersen, Bas
Pedroli, Hans Langeveld
Renewable Energy & Farms, EC DG Agri, 01 July 2011
