Devon County Council has reported that it is exploring the feasibility of a new renewable energy scheme.

The council said today that the scheme could give community energy groups the opportunity to use farmland to expand the county’s renewable electricity capacity.

The scheme is part of the work that the council is doing to look at the potential for generating renewable energy within the agricultural sector, and is being funded by European Union organisation Interreg.

Through the scheme, renewable energy installations would be developed on land where wildlife and other environmental issues aren’t a concern, and in farm buildings. Farms could therefore become ‘renewable energy hubs’ through wind, solar, biomass and waste power.

The research is part of Devon’s plans to grow renewable energy production, and is anticipated to be a key part of the county’s Carbon Plan, which is set to be published this autumn and will outline Devon’s path to becoming net-zero by 2050.

However, the scheme, which is still in its early stages, could see barriers such as the initial costs of installing the renewable energy infrastructure.

Councillor Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, commented: “This is an example of Devon County Council trying to think outside of the box to help us meet our climate targets.

“There is substantial untapped potential in the agricultural sector through the use of farmland and farm buildings.

“This new model, while still in its infancy, could be part of a solution that will help the county of Devon to reach its net-zero targets.”