What was the Energy and Rural Business Show?
The Energy and Rural Business Show was a UK agricultural and rural enterprise event designed for farmers, landowners, estate managers and rural businesses looking for new income streams, energy opportunities and sustainable ways to run their operations.
Although the original Energy and Rural Business Show name is no longer used, the event was not simply a general business exhibition. It sat at the intersection of farming, renewable energy, rural diversification, low-emission vehicles and environmental land management. Its purpose was to help rural businesses understand how to make better use of land, buildings, waste streams, machinery and energy assets.
| Energy costs for farming |
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| For more on this topic, see our detailed guide to energy costs for UK farms. |
What did the event cover?
The show brought together several related themes under one event. A major part of the exhibition focused on renewable energy generation, including technologies such as solar, biomass, anaerobic digestion, heat pumps, energy storage and other low-carbon systems. This made it relevant to farms and rural estates with land, buildings or by-products that could potentially be used to generate energy or reduce energy costs.
Another important theme was farm diversification. The event gave practical advice on how farmers and rural businesses could create new income streams beyond traditional agricultural production. Topics included holiday lets, glamping, weddings, alternative crops, financial planning, land-use planning, organic production and other commercial uses for rural property and land.
The show also included low-emission vehicles and machinery. This reflected the growing importance of decarbonisation in agriculture, including cleaner vehicles, lower-emission machinery and new technology for farms and estates.
Who was it for?
The Energy and Rural Business Show was mainly aimed at farmers, landowners, rural estate owners, agricultural contractors and other rural business operators. It was particularly relevant to businesses that wanted to reduce energy costs, generate renewable energy, diversify their income or respond to changing environmental and agricultural policy.
For many farms, the timing was important. UK agriculture was moving into a period of change, with direct farm payments being phased out and greater emphasis placed on environmental support, carbon reduction, soil health and public goods. The event positioned itself as a place where rural businesses could explore practical ways to adapt to those changes.
What happened at the show?
The event combined an exhibition, advice clinics, conference sessions, workshops and demonstrations. Visitors could meet suppliers, hear from expert speakers, attend practical sessions and compare different technologies or business ideas.
The 2020 edition included Energy Now Expo, Rural Business Expo and Low Emission Vehicles Expo as three linked areas within the same show. It also featured workshops on rural diversification, conference sessions on renewable energy and environmental management, a low-emission vehicle element and discussions around net zero in agriculture.
The show was free to attend, which helped make it accessible to farmers and rural business owners who wanted practical information without the commitment of a paid conference.
Why was it significant?
The Energy and Rural Business Show was significant because it reflected a shift in the way farms and rural estates were thinking about business resilience. Rather than focusing only on agricultural production, it encouraged rural businesses to think about energy, carbon, land use, technology and diversification as part of their long-term financial planning.
It also helped connect the farming sector with renewable energy and low-carbon technology suppliers. For farms with suitable land, buildings or waste streams, these technologies could offer ways to cut costs, create income or make better use of existing assets.
The event was also part of a wider conversation about how agriculture could respond to net zero targets, climate policy and changing government support schemes.
Did the Energy and Rural Business Show close down?
The original Energy and Rural Business Show brand appears to have been retired rather than simply closed without replacement. After the 2019 and 2020 editions, the event was rebranded as the Low Carbon Agriculture Show.
The rebrand gave the event a clearer focus on climate change, low-carbon technology, renewable energy, environmental land management and sustainable farming. It also moved to NAEC Stoneleigh in Warwickshire, a well-known agricultural events venue, before later editions continued under the Low Carbon Agriculture name.
In practical terms, the Energy and Rural Business Show evolved from a broader rural diversification and renewable energy event into a more specifically low-carbon agriculture event.
Summary
The Energy and Rural Business Show was a specialist UK event for farmers, landowners and rural businesses interested in renewable energy, diversification and sustainable business opportunities. It brought together exhibitions, workshops, expert advice and conference sessions covering energy generation, low-emission vehicles, farm diversification and environmental management.
Its original name is no longer in use, but the event’s core purpose continued through the Low Carbon Agriculture Show. The rebrand reflected the growing importance of net zero, carbon reduction and sustainable farming in the UK agricultural sector.
