Silicon, silage & serendipity: investigating impacts of ground-mounted solar photo-voltaic energy generation in UK agriculture

The proliferation of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic arrays in the agricultural landscape has divided opinion on the sustainability of these systems. Detractors have argued that solar farms degrade land resources, food production and landscape amenity. Supporters consider that the benefits of renewable energy to the rural and wider economies outweigh any social or environmental costs. Benefits include reductions of inputs and carbon emissions, business diversification for farmers and landowners, and conservation measures to enhance biodiversity. Furthermore grazing pasture, wildflower meadows and even arable crops can be successfully harvested or grazed on up to 95% of the land area. The recent policy decision to cut public financial support for solar farms within the Levy Control Framework has narrowed the gap between capital costs and potential income. This action has increased the need for a holistic model enabling rural businesses to make informed decisions when considering planning applications, and focussed the debate on the environmental sustainability of solar farms. The study aims to investigate the impacts and ongoing management practices to provide evidence-based guidance for farmers, planners and policymakers. The project output will include a 'toolkit' to help facilitate appropriate development and supervision of solar farms.