With Feed in Tariffs now in place securing funding for 25 years, renewable energy is gaining interest.

But how do farmers ensure they maximise the income from renewable energy on their farms?

Colber Adamian-Thomas of Adamian Davis Meade offers 10 tips to establishing a successful renewable energy scheme

1. Always insist that all organisations demonstrate an established track record of working with farmers.  Agricultural installations are very different from a domestic installation
2. Do they have an established market presence and record for performance in renewable energy? Your installation should work effectively over 25 years, in some cases 40 years.
3. Size matters! The scale, type and location of agricultural installation means that a small mistake could have a catastrophic outcome, cost thousands of pounds in lost income or endanger the end user!
4. Are you dealing with a person with authority and experience or a sales person? Suppliers and installers must have experience of industrial scale installations and everything that comes with it.
5. Beware of cold callers! As in any business, the most established professional businesses don’t rely on cold calling, mass mailing or blanket advertising. It is always better to get referral.
6. Are they offering you the best solution? Do they really understand YOUR needs? Does the company have a record for performance?
7. Are they responsive? Do they answer the phone?  Do they answer your questions correctly?
8. Financial stability
9. Cheapest is not always best. In this rapidly growing industry, some companies are looking at aggressive growth in a market with an enormous amount of competition.
10. Finally, remember that suppliers and installers normally look to sell their products and services. This may not always be the best solution for you. If you have any concerns, seek independent professional advice!