1. An assessment of the potential for wind energy developments in a Thames Valley county area. To undertake a county based GIS survey (likely to be within Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Surrey), mapping a range of criteria, to identify the best sites for locating single large wind turbines or clusters of smaller turbines. The criteria will include the wind resource, existing landscape designations, data on land ownership, proximity to housing, transport infrastructure, population centres, industrial estates, brown field sites, farms and grid connections. The aim of the study will be to work closely with TV Energy and local authority partners to produce a GIS based resource map from which an accurate identification of the best sites for future development can be made.

2. An assessment of the potential biomass resource in a Thames Valley county area. To undertake a county based GIS survey (likely to be within Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire or Surrey), to identify the major existing sources of biomass for wood fuel use in that area and to identify potential new sites for establishing short rotation coppice for future biomass production. The project will involve mapping a range of criteria including existing woodlands, data on land ownership, soil types, rainfall and climatic data, existing land uses, transport networks and proximity to potential end users of wood fuel. The aim of the study will be to work closely with TV Energy and local authority partners to produce a GIS based resource map from which an accurate identification of the best sites for future development can be made.

3. Developing a methodology for monitoring the achievement of the South East England renewable energy targets - a series of renewable energy targets for the South East of England have recently been announced by the Regional Assembly. TV Energy will be establishing a system of statistical monitoring to track achievement of these targets through the development of new renewable energy generation capacity. This project will investigate the options and methodology required for establishing a viable monitoring mechanism based on sound statistical methods. It will also assess and make recommendations for methods of measuring socio-economic change as a result of the introduction of new renewable energy technology.

4. Biodiversity Assessment of Short Rotation Coppice: An assessment of the existing conditions regarding biodiversity on a site that is to be planted with short rotation coppice (SRC) in the spring of 2003. The study should identify the existing flora and fauna on the site, evaluate the planned process for planting and managing the SRC and make recommendations for planting and management of the SRC at future sites to maximize biodiversity benefits. The site chosen is likely to be in Buckinghamshire or Surrey.

(This could establish number of year on year projects to assess change in biodiversity over the first three years. Using the first sites to be planted and evaluated, compared to subsequent sites which are managed in line with the biodiversity recommendations produced in year one)

5. Coppice management adjacent to urban areas: An assessment of the use of short rotation coppice as a means of reducing land management costs for local authorities on land adjacent to roads, greenfield and brownfield developments, existing housing and industrial estates. This project will involve assessing the opportunities and constraints for planting coppice in these types of locations, community acceptability issues and an identification of potential sites and recommendations for planting and management. The project will require working with TV Energy and one or more of the local authorities in the Thames Valley region.

6. Sustainability appraisal for renewable energy: this project will set out to develop a sustainability appraisal toolkit specifically for assessing the impacts on proposed renewable energy developments. The toolkit will provide the baseline for assessing environmental and socio-economic impacts, including local economic impacts, of schemes. The toolkit will be designed for use by TV Energy and its partners in the early stages of project development.