Solar can help wildlife to thrive, a new tool aims to prove while also seeking to help industry with improving biodiversity of sites.
Increasing the biodiversity of solar farms can help tackle both the climate emergency and the UK’s declining wildlife, the report, authored by the Solar Trade Association (STA), adds.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Chris Hewett, chief executive of the STA, said that making solar farms more biodiverse and visually attractive will contribute to changing the perception of the public and policymakers who are “sceptical of the value of solar parks”.
“We know the carbon benefits but we need to celebrate the biodiversity benefits,” Hewett added.
Due to solar sites being mostly isolated from human impact, as well as typically causing less than 5% disturbance to the ground, the remainder of the land can be used for plant growth and wildlife enhancements.
Whilst there is no ‘one size fits all’ for how solar farms can improve biodiversity, the STA lays out several methods that can be implemented by developers and site managers, including introducing hedgerows, field margins and wildflower meadows.
Read more: Solar Power Portal