Bioenergy Implementation Plan - South-East Regional Authority

10. BARRIER ASSESSMENT
Despite a large amount of recent renewable energy policies published at government level and a raised awareness of
the availability of bioenergy technologies, there are still a number of barriers facing any prospective development of a
bioenergy project in the South-East Region. During the course of developing this Implementation Plan, and particularly
during the stakeholder consultation process, a number of barriers to development were identified. Some of these
barriers are common across all the sectors and some are specific to the particular markets of heat, electricity and
transport. These barriers are discussed below.
The financial analyses discussed in Chapter 9 suggest that bioenergy is a viable alternative for energy generation in
households, industries and as transport biofuels. The relevant technologies are available in the Region with a sufficient
degree of stability and reliability.
Thus, there are a number of barriers to development which can be addressed by the local and regional authorities to
encourage the increased uptake of bioenergy in the South-East.
10.1. General Barriers for the Bioenergy Sector as a Whole
The main barriers to the successful development of the bioenergy sector in the South-East Region are:
• Lack of information/understanding and public awareness
• Lack of understanding of the long-term implications of national policies
• Fuel chain barriers
• Need for additional financial incentives.
10.1.1. Information and Awareness
The successful implementation of the Plan requires an increased level of awareness among stakeholders, including
energy consumers, technology providers and fuel suppliers.
Interest in renewable energy technologies has grown significantly in recent years due to rising energy prices, high
profile advertising campaigns and strong promotion of schemes such as the SEI Greener Homes Scheme and the
ReHeat Scheme. However, the public as well as consumers in the commercial and industrial sectors need to be
made aware of the benefits of switching to bioenergy systems to meet their energy needs and of which systems
are the most appropriate.
10.1.2. Policy and Implementation
One of the main issues for developers and for prospective investors in bioenergy projects is the perceived lack of
consistency and transparency among public agencies on the treatment of bioenergy. Feedback from the Stakeholder
Consultation Forum was that it is difficult to obtain guidance on the planning issues surrounding a bioenergy
development. One of the objectives of this Implementation Plan is to promote bioenergy at a regional level and
to achieve a co-ordinated approach to the implementation of bioenergy policies across the South-East Region.
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south-east regional authority
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