The “Power to the Paddock” initiative and a conference were announced on Wednesday at Connorville in Tasmania’s North.

The group say they use their roofs and their paddocks to make and distribute energy for the 21st Century.

It wants farmers who invest in solar energy to be able to use that power across their entire farm and “to sell excess energy at a fair price”.

Alliance founder and Xenergy partner, Mark Barnett says he wants to see a more equitable system in place for farmers exploring solar options.

“Under the current energy transmission system, a farmer with solar panels, generating energy, the surplus of which is sold into the grid while two paddocks away at the woolshed, that same farmer is purchasing energy from the grid at three times the price,” he said.

“This lack of equity acts as a hand-break on farmers investing in energy resilience. It’s like buying a tractor and only being allowed to use it on one paddock.”

Labor’s federal energy spokesman Mark Butler met the group and said farmers across Australia were investing in renewable energy to generate their own cheaper cleaner power.

“Like for other sectors, renewables are opportunity for farmers to take more control over their energy usage and lower their power bills,” he said.

Farmer Roderic O’Connor said it had always been his aim to be energy independent.

“I think we need to be more self-reliant and solar power is a way to achieve that,” he said.

Kate Sutherland of Cressy’s Burlington Berries said she wanted to reduce her $50,000 a year power bill.

“With 366 solar panels on her roof Burlington Berries are consuming almost all the power they generate,” she said.

Former Northern Midlands mayor David Downie said power prices had become a significant cost to farmers.

“Good policy like this encourages farmers to invest in renewable energy which benefits all Tasmanians,”  he said.

A conference will be held on March 19 to consider power prices.