Benefits of solar farms
Solar farms are a simple and proven technology providing a source of safe, locally produced renewable energy for many years after construction.
The land used for a solar farm creates places for nature and wildlife. The land around the panels is usually grass-land with hedging maintained or planted around the fence. These environments provide better habitats than intensively farmed land.
The ground beneath the panels can also be used to graze small sheep, goats or poultry – or to grow grass and wildflowers. Lark Energy’s preferred model of leasing land from farmers also provides a stable income for farmers and land owners.
Renewable energy is a key growth sector in the UK economy and development of renewable energy schemes will provide jobs – especially in the hard hit construction sector.
Impact of solar farms
Solar farms are a relatively small, effective and unobtrusive way of creating the electricity we all use – with the panels having a low visual impact on the local landscape and creating no noise, pollution, bi-products or emissions.
Solar farms are relatively straightforward to build - the racks to support the panels are piled into the ground and can be easily removed when the scheme is decommissioned in the future. There is also the need for a few small buildings to house electrical plant for the solar farm. This means minimal on-site construction is needed and there is no long-term impact on the land.
The farms are fenced off and secure and will usually sit behind existing or new hedges planted to screen them. There is no need for lighting and the farms will have infrared security cameras.
The land is managed throughout the lifetime of the farm so that it can be returned to its original use. A solar farm can play a positive role in resting and rejuvenating the land and increasing the wildlife living in and around the site.