Renewable energy continues to increase its share of the British energy market, and with the uncertainty posed by Brexit, that trend is set to endure.

According to Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, there are growing opportunities for landowners to capitalise on this rising demand: “Renewable energy offers opportunities for small and large businesses alike. For farmers looking to build resilience into their business, renewable energy offers an income that is independent from the risks of agriculture," insisted Mr Moody.

Renewables now make up nearly a quarter of the UK’s electricity production, with a 21% increase between 2013 and 2014. However, the UK still imports 60% of its energy requirement, and with the weaker Pound that will make imported power more expensive.

According to Juliet Davenport OBE, founder of Good Energy, although the Brexit vote could undermine investors’ confidence in the short-term, the UK energy market is seeing a sharp increase in the number of small-scale sites.

“In 2000 our electricity came from about 1000 sites – now it’s closer to one million,” she reported. “That is hard for the National Grid to manage, especially as most of that is solar photo-voltaics, so it’s a challenge to match up supply with demand peaks and troughs. We’re going to need much more flexibility in the system.”

Battery storage is becoming practical and could soon be common, and new technology is developing to convert excess electricity into hydrogen to power cars, or into gas to feed into the mains grid, she noted.

Although the Government is steadily cutting tariff support, the capital costs of new projects are declining, and the growth of crowd funding offers significant opportunities for potential developers, added Ms Davenport. The private supply of energy to neighbouring businesses was also a growth area, with associated lower costs and potentially simpler agreements.