“Credible external estimates suggest that ground-mounted solar used just 0.1% of our land in 2022. The biggest threat to nature and food security and to our rural communities is not solar panels or onshore wind; it is the climate crisis, which threatens our best farmland, food production and the livelihoods of farmers,” Miliband told the Commons yesterday.
“The Government will proceed not on the basis of myth and false information, but on evidence.”
Miliband added that his recent decision to approve three large-scale solar projects was supported by the National Farmers’ Union.
Addressing the questions
But how are their locations chosen? To what extent do they disturb the ground? And what evidence is there that they pose no threat to national food security? All these questions, and many more, are answered in the SEUK briefings on agricultural land and site selection, supplemented by a position statement on archaeological remains.
Further factsheets on biodiversity and battery energy storage systems are expected.
Produced with the assistance of Dr Jonathan Scurlock, NFU Chief Adviser on Renewable Energy and Climate Change, the factsheet on agricultural land use stresses that solar farms “do not in any way present a risk to the UK’s food security,” contrary to claims shared by media, and even expressed in parliament, that are described by SEUK as ‘false and misleading’.
To hammer home the message, NFU President Tom Bradshaw backed the solar sector and condemned “sensationalist” claims about food security. “It’s a small amount of land which is being taken out of production,” he told Politico.
Rather than solar farms being a threat, the factsheet on food security argues that they bolster food security by addressing climate change.
As the UK Government’s 2021 Food Security Report said: “The biggest medium to long term risk to the UK’s domestic production comes from climate change and other environmental pressures like soil degradation, water quality and biodiversity.” Under a medium emissions scenario, it projected that the amount of top-grade ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV) category farmland would fall by 70% by 2050 – vast compared to the small amount of land expected to be used for solar generation.
Supporting UK farmers
“Solar farms are keeping UK farmers in business, while producing some of the cheapest power there has ever been. Without them, energy bills would be even higher – for farms just as much as homes. Solar farms can provide reliable revenue, helping to keep UK farms profitable and securing domestic food supplies,” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.
“Miliband was correct to say that only a thousandth of the UK’s land is taken up by solar farms, with golf courses occupying more. Expectations are that this will rise by a few tenths of a percentage point by 2050. In return, we would have a cheaper, greener electricity system, more security against the impact of geopolitical shocks, and with manifold benefits to biodiversity, too.”
Location, location, location
“Solar farms offer an attractive diversification income opportunity for farmers, when we strike the right balance between food security and climate ambitions. National planning guidance and NFU policy both express a preference for large scale solar farm development to be located, as far as possible, on lower quality agricultural land, avoiding the most productive and versatile soils,” said Dr Scurlock.
The factsheets, produced with MPs, planning officials and local councillors in mind, aim to promote understanding, confidence and consistency in the consideration of solar farm planning applications.
Image credit: Hollie Blaydes.