Agri-renewables strategy for Scotland

Ministerial Foreword

Scotland has massive green energy potential. Farmers, crofters and land managers have access to our nation's abundance of natural resources and are ideally placed to contribute towards growing Scotland's low carbon economy.

There has been a great deal of enthusiasm for renewables within the farming sector and there are some excellent examples of land managers capturing the benefits from green energy generation both for their businesses and their local communities.

I recognise that recent years have been turbulent for the sector and acknowledge and recognise that there are challenges in front of us. I believe our goals are within reach and that we have much to celebrate in what has been achieved by Scottish agriculture in relation to renewables.

I am grateful for the contribution that the Agri-renewables Strategy Consultative Group has made to the development of the Strategy by providing a coordinated voice for the sector. In particular, I thank those farmers who agreed to their renewables projects being featured as case studies in the Strategy. These case studies prove that renewable generation is a realistic, sustainable and financially viable option into which farm businesses can invest.

We all have a part to play in building a cleaner, greener Scotland and this Strategy shows how agri-renewables can contribute to that aim. The Scottish Government has the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the world. However, the growth of agri-renewables is not solely about meeting targets. Renewable energy sits at the heart of our efforts to increase Scotland's sustainable economic growth.

I look forward to seeing farmers, crofters and land managers across Scotland making the most of our natural resources and helping us transform the way Scotland produces and uses its energy.

Richard Lochhead
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment