Solar farms are facing increased scrutiny from critics who believe that placing panels on farmland is incompatible with the need to boost biodiversity and safeguard nature and productive agricultural land.

While arguments such as the UK’s solar farms taking up less space than golf courses have been used to try to reassure those who are concerned about solar proliferation, more needs to be done to drive positive impact.

The need to increase renewable energy capacity to meet environmental targets, boost energy security and benefit from the commercial advantages of renewables (now the lowest-cost form of energy production) is widely recognised, but we also need a credible plan for nature.

Addressing that dual requirement is increasingly important for independent power producers (IPPs), commercial energy users and local authorities if they are to ensure that the additional renewable capacity needed to drive the energy transition can be built. Failure to address this will inevitably result in delays to planning approval and increasing protests and activism aimed at renewable developers and commercial off-takers of energy.

To address this, solar developers are driving innovation around biodiversity which goes far beyond early solutions (such as planting around solar farm fringes) and looks at how the design of solar sites can be used to actively boost biodiversity.

To help deepen our understanding of how solar farms interact with nature, Low Carbon partnered with Lancaster University to conduct a study using artificial intelligence and advanced acoustic monitoring to assess pollinators – an essential component of healthy ecosystems.

This first-of-its-kind initiative, announced last year, employs novel technologies to continuously track pollinator activity, generating data that informs biodiversity policies, such as the UK’s Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) framework, which mandates that developers not only mitigate but actively enhance biodiversity. Our findings will help shape best practices for integrating renewable energy projects into the natural environment while reinforcing the case for solar power as a net positive force for biodiversity.

Initiatives such as incorporating wildflower meadows, hedgerows and habitat corridors into the planning of solar sites can create safe havens for pollinators and other wildlife, and reassure local communities and planners that the sites will safeguard local environments. The data from our Lancaster University partnership will help validate and refine these approaches, ensuring that solar projects can maximise ecological benefits.

Other approaches, such as planting wildflowers and grasses around and under panels, mounting panels on higher tables and understanding the solar protection and shading that can be provided from panels all helps inform strategies that can boost biodiversity and create new spaces for nature.

Solar developers are driving innovation around biodiversity which goes far beyond early solutions (such as planting around solar farm fringes) and looks at how the design of solar sites can be used to actively boost biodiversity.

Funding this work is something that corporate off-takers are equally keen to address and the investment and focus they can provide is helping accelerate work to boost solar farm biodiversity.

As one example, Low Carbon has partnered with Lloyds Banking Group to ensure sustainability is embedded into every stage of development driven through a 10-year power purchase agreement.

Lloyds has committed to buy 50 GWh of clean power from Low Carbon’s solar sites that are designed with enhancements to support nature and biodiversity, whilst simultaneously powering more than 14,000 homes and preventing over 21,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

Collaborations like these demonstrate how financial institutions can directly support the energy transition. Lloyds is not merely financing clean energy, it is backing solar projects that incorporate critical, nature-based enhancements. In line with the 10% BNG requirements, these projects include species-rich wildflower grasslands, hedgerows to support pollinators, new UK native woodland plantings, and essential foraging and sheltering features for local wildlife.

By collaborating with like-minded organisations committed to reducing emissions, optimising energy consumption, and addressing water, waste and nature conservation targets, IPPs can go beyond merely preventing environmental harm. They can actively drive a clean transition through robust finance initiatives that support thriving ecosystems.

As the UK looks to accelerate its journey towards net zero, it is imperative that we consider the broader environmental impact of our actions. Renewable energy is a necessity, but it must be pursued responsibly. Through scientific research, biodiversity-focused project design and strong partnerships, we can ensure clean energy and ecological stewardship go hand in hand.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.

• Further reading: ‘Harvesting among solar panels: can agrivoltaics help Europe meet green targets?’. In the conflict between land use for food production versus green energy generation, new technology promises to eradicate the either-or-question: agrivoltaics. The European Union is keen to support the integration of solar panels into farming as a way to meet its renewable energy targets, but hurdles remain along the way.
• The European Commission has published a new farming strategy that recognises the role of solar PV in enhancing energy security, decarbonising the sector and supplementing farmers’ income for the first time ever.