NFU Scotland’s ground-breaking Renewables Development Initiative (RDI) is giving Scottish farmers the chance to view the most extensive display of renewable technologies to be seen on one farm.

Borders farmer Iver Salvesen has invested in a wide range of renewable energy projects in recent years at his 600 acre unit near Stow, Galashiels and will open his gates to fellow farmers at 9.30am on Tuesday 27 January.   On the electricity generating side of things, he has two 5kW and one 2.5kW wind turbines and is currently considering an 800kW wind turbine installation.  He also has 6kW of solar PV from two installed systems with a 30kW system to be developed shortly.  On the heat generating side of things, he has two 20 tube solar thermal systems installed as well as a 16kW ground source heat pump and a 200kW biomass system which serves multiple properties.  In addition, he also makes his own biodiesel from oilseed rape.  These varied technologies serve his farmhouse, office, vehicles and several surrounding cottages.

The visit is part of the Union’s three-year RDI project, designed to provide sound, independent advice to farmers and land managers across Scotland on renewable energy. Through a programme of on-farm events, co-ordinated by Thomas McMillan of Smiths Gore, the initiative has already shown hundreds of Scottish farmers energy projects that are contributing to farm businesses or are at the planning stage. On-farm days held in 2014 looked at wind, solar, biomass, gasification, hydro, biodiesel, heat pumps and anaerobic digestion. Workshops built around the events have brought in experts to cover elements such as finance, construction, grid connection and community schemes.

A further RDI event will be held in Ellon, Aberdeenshire on Thursday 19 February when Alastair Sinclair will discuss his anaerobic digester.