Farmlands for renewable energy production

Many different forms of renewable energy are produced in rural areas, ranging from wind, solar and geothermal sources to different forms of bioenergy. "Many small and medium scale installations provide opportunities for new cooperation in production, sales and distribution of renewable energy. They bring employment and economic development to rural regions, replace fossil fuels and contribute to energy security. Many technologies are available to meet energy use on the farm for heating, cooling, traction and other energy functions. Besides bioenergy (used for heat, power, biogas, biofuels), solar (electricity and heat), wind and geothermal energy, technologies can also include heat recovery systems, e.g. from cooling systems and manure storage. Farmers can also combine different technologies simultaneously. In other settings, renewable energy produced on the farm can be delivered to power or gas grids. Both at the scale of the individual farm and the whole agricultural sector, there is a wide range of options and potential for renewable energy generation and deployment with a potentially major contribution to Europe’s energy mix."