NSW Farmers has asked the NSW Government to invest in small-scale on-farm renewables to ease cost pressures on food producers.
This includes offering subsidies and low interest loans to farmers installing renewables and energy storage assets.
NSW Farmers Energy Transition Working Group’s Reg Kidd said the cost of electricity had nearly tripled since 2012 and regional and rural users paid up to 25 per cent more than urban users.
“This is a huge cost for country people, but it’s especially felt by those high energy users such as dairy farmers and intensive livestock producers,” Mr Kidd said.
“Decision makers serious about these (climate) targets should support farmers investing in energy efficient or own-generation technology, which will also improve reliability of local electricity supply.”
For primary producers, energy sustainability rebates had the potential to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions, Mr Kidd said.