NZ farmers support renewable energy but have some concerns
Livestock farmers in New Zealand have expressed concern about the impact on land and on rural communities of the rapid spread of energy farms there.
Industry body Federated Farmers has said it supports New Zealand’s shift to renewable energy, but in the form of smaller solar and wind farms on land of little value.
Energy companies have said solar farms occupy 350 hectares of agricultural land across New Zealand at the moment, but that they have consent already to put solar panels on a further 2,000 hectares.
They have also said discussions are ongoing about a further 10,000 hectares. New Zealand currently generates 1% or 2% of energy from solar at the moments, but has the aim of taking this to as much as 12% of the total by 2035.
Wind farms generate around 6% of the country’s energy at the moment, but the aim is to increase this to 20% by 2035.
Federated Farmers said that rural communities are concerned about a lack of consultation with locals, the impact on the landscape of solar panels and the risk of fire. However, their main concern is that energy companies are using high-quality land to set up solar farms.
