Scottish entrepreneur launches renewable energy matchmaking service

A Scottish entrepreneur has launched the UK’s first online platform for matchmaking between landowners, developers and investors.

The Renewables Connect database will comprise land, sites and projects for battery storage, as well as solar, wind and hydrogen.

Landowners can list sites at no cost to themselves, with land able be added at any stage, whether the site is considered to have renewable development potential, has planning consent, a grid connection secured, or is currently operational.

Developers and investors will pay a subscription fee to access the database. However, new subscribers joining now can get a six-month free trial period.

Renewables Connect’s founder Keir Doe, managing director of Keir + Co Chartered Surveyors, said: “Through my work with landowners and developers across the UK, I see firsthand the challenges and frustrations which both parties are facing – landowners are often overlooked or bypassed, and developers are exhausting vast sums of money, resources and time searching for suitable sites, only for sites to fall through or come to a dead end.

“With considerable uncertainties over the future of UK farming, including Single Farm Payments, commodity prices and the weather, we are seeing an increase in farmers and estate owners partnering with renewable developers – to secure lucrative and passive diversification income.

“Our aim at Renewables Connect is to facilitate and streamline the connection process between landowners, developers, and investors interested in leasing, disposing of, or acquiring renewable energy projects.”

He added: “In a collective push to achieve net zero, there is a pressing need to ‘turbo charge’ the renewable energy industry.

“While there is little we can do to improve the current grid capacity issues, our pioneering platform should be a game-changer in accelerating the connection between willing landowners, renewable developers and investors.”

Landowners, farmers and renewable developers can promote their sites directly to investors and major energy developers and take back some control of the process. Developers and investors can search the online database using filters and the interactive map to help them find exactly what they are looking for.

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