Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
On-farm renewable energy
by the overlap of the agricultural and energy regimes. From the multi-level perspective
(MLP), regimes are conceptualized as dominant sets of rules, which coordinate and guide
activities in particular directions. Although regimes do not necessarily correspond to
sectors, in this case we have identified the agricultural regime (the rules, artefacts and
practices characterizing mainstream agricultural production) and the energy regime (the
rules, artefacts and practices characterizing mainstream energy production) as the two
regimes involved. For biogas, which originated from processing waste products which
included non-farm waste, a waste management regime could be included. On-farm
renewable energy production is conceptualized as a sub-regime because it satisfies the
function associated with the energy regime (energy production) while utilizing the
resources (particularly land) and involving actors from the agricultural regime. The
technologies and actors associated with renewable energy production on farms are
conceptualized as a niche (Fig. 9.2).
Fig. 9.2. On-farm renewable energy production within the regime structure (Source:
authors).
There is a similar structure to the energy regime in all three study countries,
whereby most of the energy is produced through large power stations (gas, oil, coal and
nuclear), distributed through a centralized international grid system, and regulated at
national level. There is also some limited local distribution and consumption. Electricity
produced through wind and anaerobic digestion is distributed through this grid system.
Although the agricultural regime is marked by increasing scale and intensification of
the production of agricultural commodities, in comparison to the energy regime, production
is highly dispersed, with commodity producers numbering in the thousands rather than the
tens or hundreds characteristic of the energy regime. Agricultural distribution channels are
also more decentralized and complex, owing to the larger number of types of commodities
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