Introduction
There have been numerous debates across the globe regarding the sources of energy used in industries and homes. The increased debates have been as a result of the damages inflicted on the environment that are associated with the common sources of energy, such as fossil fuels. Burning of fossil fuel emits carbon dioxide, which is known to be the most dangerous greenhouse gas.
The world is now moving toward searching for alternative sources of energy that will have less damage on the environment. In this bid, rural properties have become one of the favorite sources of energy as they are seen as a potential source of energy. The two major sources of energy that can be obtained from rural properties are wind farms and coal seam gas (Edenhofer, Pichs-Madruga, & Sokona, 2011).
A wind farm can be large to an extent that hundreds of wind turbines may be erected to generate energy. It is a source of energy that is becoming increasingly popular. Among the countries where most wind farms are found include the United States of America, China, as well as Australia.
On the other hand, coal seam gas, also referred to as Coal Bed Methane is a natural gas that originates from coal. The most common gas that is extracted is methane gas. It is important to note that methane is a greenhouse gas that can be used as a source of energy. However, its effect on the atmosphere is much less compared to that of carbon dioxide.
It is for this reason that methane preferable to carbon dioxide. It is considered a cleaner source of energy compared to fossil fuel. Among the countries where coal seams gas energy is used most include the United States of America, Canada, and Australia.
Australia is rich in coal seam gas. This report will focus on the issues that are associated with rural land energy sources, as well as an analysis of the effect that these sources of energy will have on the rural lands. The paper will also focus on the value and prices of these sources of energy.
Issues Associated with Energy Sources from the Rural Land Perspective
The rural land is seen as an alternative source of energy to the current sources of energy, most of which are considered to be environmentally unfriendly. Over the years, fossil fuel has been used as the main source of energy in most parts of the world.
This source of energy is the major source of carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is the most harmful of all the other greenhouse gases, thus it has led to the increased global warming (Edenhofer, Pichs-Madruga, & Sokona, 2011). This has forced scientists, researchers, as well as national and international leaders look for alternatives that are able to provide cleaner sources of energy.
Rural land has been identified as one of the major alternatives, with wind farms and coal seam gas as the major sources available there. However, these sources of energy have encountered opposition from farmers who base their arguments on a number of issues. The opposition is likely to make it difficult to access the energy in these areas.
One of the major issues that are likely to face this prospect is the issue of land use. There could be potential conflict regarding land use if the wind turbines are to be erected in the rural lands, or extraction of coal seam gas from the waterbeds goes ahead. Most farmers use their land for farming. Consequently, farmers will think that sourcing this energy from their lands will prevent them from carrying on with their farming activities.
It is important to note that farming is the main source of income for most farmers. Therefore, anything that will affect their farming activities is not likely to receive a warm welcome from farmers.
The administration needs to have a good plan on how wind farms will be constructed and how coal seam gas will be extracted. In addition, the administration should have plans in advance on the development of infrastructure in the rural areas. This will be important in that it is going to convince farmers and reduce the level of their opposition.
The other issue that is likely to face the idea of sourcing of energy from the rural areas is the environmental impact that the sources of energy are likely to have in those areas. It is a fact that, power plants are going to have some effects on the environment if they are to be located in the rural areas.
This is an issue that will be of concern to the rural residents as they fear their environment might be damaged by constructing power plants in the rural areas (Edenhofer, Pichs-Madruga, & Sokona, 2011). For instance, methane is the main gas that is contained in coal seam gas.
Methane is one of the major greenhouse gases, alongside carbon dioxide. Locating a power plant that uses coal seam gas in the rural areas is a move that is likely to increase the emission of methane in the rural areas. It is important to note that the areas where these power plants are located could be the most significant areas in the region, thus polluting their environment is something that will be highly opposed by the rural residents.
As mentioned earlier, coal is a threat to the environment. Apart from methane, coal also releases a number of other pollutants. Some of these pollutants are sulfur oxides, nitric oxides, as well as carbon oxides. There could be other sources of energy that could be used as alternatives to coal energy, but they are likely to demand more land and their financial requirements are relatively higher.
Among such alternatives is the hydro- power. This might lead to relocation of residents to create more space for the development, a move that is likely to receive less support from the locals.
However, the wind farm is a source of energy that has little impact on the environment, if any. In addition, the land where the wind turbines have been erected can also be used for farming. This could be a much better alternative if the environmental impacts are to be put into consideration.
Another issue that might affect the rural land as a source of alternative energy is the increase in the population. Population growth has been on the rise over the years. There was no time in the past when the population was as high as it is today (Edenhofer, Pichs-Madruga, & Sokona, 2011). This means that the demand for land has also gone high because the size of land has been constant, despite the increase in the number of people.
The share of land, therefore, becomes smaller and smaller as the population increases. Developing energy plants in the rural areas will require some piece of land.
This will increase land pressure in the rural areas. This is an issue that has to be dealt with if the alternative energy source initiative is to be a success. The increased pressure on land is likely to cause resistance from the rural residents. This could affect the development of the alternative sources of energy.
The other issue that needs to be addressed is the issue of cost of sourcing these forms of energy. The economic cost of such a development will be an important consideration. The wind turbines required for a wind farm are many and might cost a lot of money. On the other hand, there are machineries that are to be used in generating energy from coal and they are similarly costly.
The alternative sources of energy are likely to bring economic growth. However, economic growth will only occur if the costs are reduced to a sustainable level. This means that the administration needs to carry out a cost benefit-analysis before implementing the power generation projects (Edenhofer, Pichs-Madruga, & Sokona, 2011).
The projects will not be worthwhile if the costs exceed the benefits that the rural residents and the region at large are going to realize. On the other hand, the projects will be worthwhile if the costs are lower than the benefits to be realized.
It is imperative to note that most rural areas across the world do not have access to electricity. Establishing power sources in the rural areas will increase energy infrastructure in the areas. This is likely to improve their economic status. It will, however, be important to consider the cost issue that faces the development to enable strategic planning.
Finally there is the issue of resource management. The global situation has been changing rapidly over the last couple of years. It is a general factor that managing resources under such circumstances might be a challenge.
In other words, it is not easy for humanity to manage resources efficiently and in a sustainable manner if the global situation is changing as rapidly as it has been over the last couple of years. Moving to rural lands for alternative energy is a twist in the global situation. It is a change that will affect the management of resources.
Current and Potential Impacts of Energy Sources from the Rural Land on Rural Property and Rural Land Values/Prices
The value of land is a very important issue that needs to be considered before executing any development that involves land. Generally, the value of land is said to always appreciate. Land is the only asset whose value does not depreciate. However, it is important to note that there are many factors that have the ability to affect the value of land at any given time. In addition, there are a number of measures that are used in valuing land.
In valuing the land, it is important to consider the area where the land is located. For instance, a piece of land that is located in the rural area is, and should be, valued as a rural land. On the other hand, land that is in the urban area or in a rural area but used for residential purposes, rural residential, should be valued as a non-rural land (Baxter & Cohen, 2009).
If a land is in the rural area and its use is likely to change so that it is used for an urban purpose or for any other purpose that is not rural, that land will be classified as a non rural land for the purpose of valuation. Another important factor that should be noted is that a land that is unimproved is always valued as a rural land. The value of a land might be influenced by the level of improvement or development that is in it.
A land that is highly developed is likely to have a high value. On the other hand, a low or non developed land will have a low value. Considering this, therefore, non rural land will always have a higher value compared to the rural land because non rural land is more improved and developed (Prag, 2003).
In the current state, there are likely to be conflicts that are associated with the use of land. The rural residents might be opposing the move to utilize the alternative sources of energy in the region. Consequently, the value of the land at the current state might be low because not many people will want to buy land or settle where there are conflicts or potential conflicts.
The demand for the land will go down as a result of the potential conflicts, leading to a decrease in the price for the land. However, the value at this point might not change. In any case, the value is likely to increase when the developments get underway. Another issue that might affect the value and the price of land in the current situation is the potential effect that the development will have on the environment.
In the short run, the value of the land in the rural areas might go down due to the environmental damage caused by coal seam gas energy generation. Emission of methane, which is a greenhouse gas, is a potential factor that is likely to increase the earth’s temperature due to the effects that it has on the ozone layer.
The increase in temperature will affect the growth of crops and the productivity of the land. Not many people will want to buy a land that is not productive. It is for this reason that the land demand will go down and the price will also decrease, but only in the short run (Hyam, 2009).
The valuation of a land is an opinion that is hard to prove. However, the dimensions of the land, as well as its physical characteristics and position can be observed in the process of valuation. If the alternative sources of energy in the rural areas are to be utilized, there will be some development on those lands.
Wind turbines will be erected, there will be machinery that will be used in the generation of coal seam energy, and there will also be a development of the infrastructure of rural areas. This will mean that the value of land in the areas where these developments will be implemented will improve.
The prices of land here will also increase. The land will no longer be valued as a rural land following the developments; instead, it will be valued as a non rural land, which has a higher value compared to the rural land (Baxter & Cohen, 2009).
Among the developments that are likely to be accompanied by the new alternatives of energy include the wind farms. There will be many wing turbines that will be erected to generate power in the wind farms. There will be wiring to connect the wind turbines and direct the power generated to where it will be used. There will also be structures and machineries that will be used to generate coal seam gas energy.
It will be possible for companies and industries to start operations in the rural areas once there is power in the rural areas. This will mean that the infrastructure will have to increase. Roads and transport systems will be improved. The demand for land will go up and the prices will also increase (Prag, 2003).
Conclusion
The demand for energy has grown across the world over the last couple of decades. This has followed the increase in the number of companies and industries that need energy for them to operate. The increase in the number of the population has also led to the increase in demand for energy. The most common sources of energy at the moment are fossil fuels, which are known to emit a lot carbon dioxide.
Carbon dioxide is a gas that has negative effects on the environment. The need for alternative sources of energy has, therefore, arisen. The focus is now on the rural property where wind farms and coal seam gas are the two potential sources of energy.
It would be worth to go for the alternative energy source since these energy sources will be beneficial in the long run. However, the potential issues that could impede the developments of the alternative sources of energy should be dealt with exhaustively and in advance.
List of References
Baxter, JS & Cohen, RK 2009, Rural valuation: The Australian guide to complex rural valuation practice, Australian Property Institute, Deakin, A.C.T.
Edenhofer, O, Pichs-Madruga, R, Sokona, Y (Eds) 2011, Renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation: Special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY
Hyam, AA 2009, The law affecting valuation of land in Australia, The Federation Press, Annandale, N.S.W
Prag, PAB 2003, The valuation of rural property: A comprehensive guide to the appraisal of farms and estates, Packard Publishing, Chichester