Keynote

This session, chaired by Dr Jonathan Scurlock, NFU will cover thoughts and insights from industry leaders on the journey to a sustainable agricultural sector.

click here to download Jonathan’s presentation.

Update on the Agricultural Transition Plan
Minister Victoria Prentis, Minister for Farming, Fisheries and Food, Defra

Minister Prentis will discuss how our Future Farming policies will incentivise the adoption of low carbon farming methods, and contribute to our net zero goals, as well as our other environmental targets.

Decarbonising our energy system in line with Net Zero goals
Dr Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive, The Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA)

With the deluge of strategy and policy papers published by the UK Government before COP26, what does this now mean for the energy sector nearly 6 months on? The REA publishes a number of authoritative reports, one such ranks where the UK stands compared to its near neighbours in addressing the Energy Transition. She will share these views and discuss how the agriculture sector must continue to play a growing and vital part in decarbonising energy.

Click here to download Nina’s presentation.

Working together to reach net zero
Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Welsh Government

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change will talk about future opportunities for working together to decarbonise agriculture in Wales.

AD & Biogas

This session, chaired by Lucy Hopwood, Director & Lead Consultant, NNFCC will cover what does the AD landscape look like, what support is available and how can existing scheme owners maximise their returns?

Click here to download Lucy’s presentation.

What Benefits can an AD plant bring to farm businesses
David Kinnersley, Head of Agribusiness, Fisher German

A review of current renewable energy policy relating to AD plants in the UK and the potential for growth. A look at the opportunities and challenges of AD plants for farm businesses

Click here to download David’s presentation.

UK Policies to support green gases
Dr Kiara Zennaro, Head of Heat – Green Gas Lead, REA

Kiara will outline the latest policy developments to support the deployment and growth of the green gas sector in the UK and to the transition to Net Zero, with particular focus on low carbon agriculture.

Click here to download Kiara’s presentation.

Biomethane and Carbon Capture for Carbon Negative Farming
John Baldwin, Managing Director, cng Services

The production of biogas from anaerobic digestion is an established technology for agricultural wastes such as manures. The new innovation is capturing the Bio-CO2 produced in the digesters as part of the biomethane production process and sequestering this CO2 in underground depleted gas fields. In this way the overall project removes fossil CO2 from the atmosphere with useful by products such as milk, beef and fertiliser. A farm becomes a way to harvest fossil CO2 released in the last 300 years. The presentation shows such a project in development with the biomethane injected into the high pressure gas grid and used to fuel tricks and farm tractors

Click here to download John’s presentation.

The Potential of Small Scale AD
Chris Morris, Technical Director, Fre-Energy Ltd

With famers coming under pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and tackle ammonia emissions, interest in small scale AD has never been greater. Technology must be fit for purpose. With this increasing demand coupled with increasing infrastructure and energy costs, this session will consider the viability for AD to contribute to meeting net zero-carbon emissions targets.

Click here to download Chris’ presentation.

Energy Storage

This session chaired by Lauren Gibson-Green, Director, Land Management & Head of Renewable Energy, Strutt & Parker focusses on the role of energy storage solutions in the UK’s, low-carbon energy mix, together with the related opportunities.

Hosting an energy storage system on your land – what you need to know
Tim Foster, Head of Energy Services, Conrad Energy

Change is often a difficult process and the UK’s transition to a low carbon energy supply is no exception. Concerns over energy security and intermittency have led to record high energy prices over the last few months. Energy storage will pay a pivotal role in delivering the UK’s energy transition, and this presentation will explore the opportunities and stumbling blocks around hosting or developing standalone, behind the meter and co-located Battery Energy Storage Systems on your property.

Click here to download Tim’s presentation.

Using hydrogen to store renewable energy
Sharon George, Senior lecturer in Clean Technology, Keele University

There is a lot of tech in development and being trialled and that is really being stepped up with national programmes to accelerate development of hydrogen technology and infrastructure, including its production transport and storage. We have an exciting project, HyDEX , here in the Midlands that is bringing together development across the region and helping to really catalyse development in our region. We are starting to see commercially available technology and with a push towards zero carbon, and concerns to find more sustainable and secure forms of energy, hydrogen is fast developing into a more viable solution for a sustainable future.

Click here to download Sharon’s presentation.

On-farm Energy Supply and Storage Options
Angela Bywater, BBSRC NIBB Network Co-Manager, University of Southampton

This presentation will explore some of the farm energy production and storage options described in the recent RASE Farm of the Future: Journey to Net Zero report. It will also attempt to look at future energy systems and how this might affect the farming industry.

Click here to download Angela’s presentation.

Thermal storage technologies
Colum Ryan, Commercial Projects Director, Eco Mirage

Low-emission Vehicles & Machinery

This session chaired by James McGeachie, Technical & Programme Director, Zemo Partnership will highlight the latest developments from the low-emission vehicles & machinery markets, together with the associated opportunities.

Click here to download James’ presentation.

Decarbonising our transport system – what’s the plan?
Matt Edwards, Senior Policy Advisor, Decarbonisation Strategy Team, Department for Transport

2021 was a landmark year for transport decarbonisation with the publication of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan but why was it needed, why is it so important and what happens next.

Click here to download Matt’s presentation.

Understanding the feasibility and opportunities associated with EV charging
Lisa Howkins, Sales & Marketing Director, NFU Energy

Click here to download Lisa’s presentation.

A closer look at the methane powered tractor
Sunil Maher, Project Delivery Lead, Advanced Propulsion Centre
Dr Chris Mann, Co-Founder, Chairman & Chief Technology Officer, Bennamann Ltd
Alistair Walshaw, CNH Industrial – Innovation Manager, Alternative Fuels and Drivelines

Click here to download Sunil’s, Chris’ and Alistair’s presentation.

Wind Power

Understand your small wind options, routes to market for large scale wind and planning procedures in this session chaired by James Robottom, Onshore Wind Advocacy and Policy Manager, RenewableUK.

Pegasus Planning

Wind power’s role in the fight against climate change
Darren Edwards, Head of Sustainable Energy, Fisher German

Click here to download Darren’s presentation.

Are you coming to the end of your renewable energy project’s lease agreement? – Three things all landowners must consider
Travis Benn, Technical Director, Lumify Energy

It has been around 30 years since the UK government first introduced renewable energy subsidies leading to massive growth in the market. Years on, what have we learnt? How can landowners take what we know now to help them make more informed decisions going forwards? With the end of government subsidies, now it is more important than ever for landowners to use historic market insights to their benefit, we will take what we have learnt to share three key ways in which they can do this.

Power Purchase Agreements: Securing the best £/MWh for your wind power
Hamish Conway, Business Development Manager, Limejump

Hamish will take a look at the current challenges of wind generation in the UK and how its intermittency can have impactful knock on effects to the wider power market. But, with challenges come opportunities. Hamish will go on to highlight how owners of wind assets (and other renewable technologies) can take advantage of the current high power prices, maximising returns and supporting the UK reach its net zero agenda – Every MW is crucial to decarbonising the grid.

Click here to download Hamish’s presentation.

Biomass

Explore the UK’s biomass strategy, receive practical guidance on RHI audits and hear about the latest technology in this session chaired by Patricia Thornley, Director, Energy & Bioproducts Research Institute, Aston University.

Biomass Feedstock Innovation programme – Increasing domestic supply of biomass to support net zero
Charlotte Powell, Head of BioEnergy and Carbon Removals – Innovation, BEIS

Phase 1 of the £30m, two phase Biomass Innovation Programme launched early 2021, and since July, 25 innovators have been creating and developing their plans for increasing the UKs supply of biomass. Last year BEIS presented the programme concept, this year we will update you on this programme which has now launched its £26 million phase 2

Click here to download Charlotte’s presentation.

Enabling UK negative emissions: sustainable energy crop supply chains for BECCS
Arabella Freeman, Director of Biomass Strategy, Drax Group

Negative emissions from technologies such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) will be critical if we are to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050. Alongside sustainable imports, home grown feedstock, including perennial energy crops encourages a change in the dynamics of our supply chains. It further enables us to work with farmers and land owners in the UK to support their businesses and livelihoods. This presentation will explore the opportunities and barriers of energy crops for BECCS and how the agriculture sector can play a significant role in decarbonising the wider economy.

Click here to download Arabella’s presentation.

Practical guidance on the economic and environmental benefits of perennial energy crops
Neil Watkins, Director & Founder, Energy Crops Consultancy

Click here to download Neil’s presentation.

Will Wood Still Burn Without the RHI?
Neil Harrison, Director, reheat

Neil will cover the practicalities and economics of on-farm biomass use for heat production for a range of agricultural applications, and will look at some of the lessons learned from the 10 years of the RHI and how best to apply them to new biomass heating schemes.

Click here to download Neil’s presentation.

Finance

How do you finance your project, create a sustainability report and/or valuate your scheme – join this session chaired by Darren Edwards, Head of Sustainable Energy at Fisher German to find out!

What support is available for renewable and/or clean energy systems?
Estelle Limon, Policy Coordinator, Regen

An overview of the government policy and support framework to fund the deployment of renewable and clean energy systems and a look at some of the specific schemes that are currently available.

Click here to download Estelle’s presentation.

Understanding the value of your renewable energy assets
Miles Thomas, Partner, Carter Jonas

A look at how developers of renewable projects make their money and how landowners could potentially unlock more value.

Click here to download Miles’ presentation.

The tax and accounting implications of transitioning to low-carbon farming
Peter Harker, Partner, Saffery Champness LLP

This session will explore the various tax opportunities, risks and current uncertainties that landowners and farmers are faced with when reviewing their options to make the most of their natural capital assets. The session will include comment on some of the tax considerations of matters including rewilding projects, carbon credits, bio-diversity net gain and regenerative farming.

Click here to download Peter’s presentation.