Solar Energy UK
17 December 2024
Solar farms are keeping British agriculture in business, say three long-established farmers who host panels on their land.
In a video produced by Solar Energy UK, third-generation farmer Jonathan Keeling, of Crays Hall farm in Essex, said the attractiveness of hosting a solar farm is, “having a steady income whilst allowing you to carry on farming”. The land he formerly used for agriculture, “wasn’t very profitable – so the solar panels have really helped,” he added.[1]
As a farmer with two solar installations on his land, with a third underway at the time of filming, he is clearly one of the most qualified people to demonstrate how solar energy is contributing to financial stability while enhancing farms’ environmental stewardship.
Eric Seeley, of Fossil Farm, Dorset, produces 90,000 plates of fruit and vegetables each week, plus 7,000 portions of meat. Hosting a solar farm, “just keeps allowing farmers to continue growing food for the county… and I think when you speak to the majority of farmers that are involved with solar, everyone’s of the same opinion: it’s allowing you to become a better farmer,” he said.
Their level-headed views are in lockstep with comments from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and NFU President Tom Bradshaw, who both have both slammed ill-informed fearmongering over food security.
“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. The Government will proceed not on the basis of myth and false information, but on evidence,” he told the Commons in July.[2]
At first concerned about potential public opposition, Seeley added that, “I thought we’d have people bashing down the door… that never happened. That never, ever happened.”
Keeling had similar comments, saying that he did not have any problems with the local community and, “Once the panels are built, there’s not much impact.”
Their views are backed up by hard evidence that solar farms are more popular than many people would assume. According to repeated surveying by Copper Consultancy and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, solar power is the most popular form of energy generation.[3,4] Another survey by Climate Barometer demonstrates that the public has positive views about the solar farms, which are UK’s lowest-cost source of power, while at the same time vastly overestimating the scale of opposition.[5]
Former army officer Jo Nicholson farms 12,000 acres of mainly arable land, with a small beef herd and orchard in Buckinghamshire. He stressed the benefits to wildlife of having a solar farm, which can in turn boost agricultural income by attracting pollinators and delivering natural pest control. Seeley similarly described the land under his panels as a “paradise” for biodiversity.
Solar Energy UK’s Solar Habitat reports back up such claims. Now in their second year, the latest edition found that brown hares, skylarks, shrews and numerous species of butterfly are a common site on solar farms up and down the country.[6]
With the help of British farmers, Solar Energy aims to reach 50 gigawatts of solar generation capacity by 2030, delivering low-cost, sustainable and secure power for the nation.
[1] Empowering British Farmers with Solar Energy
[2] Miliband slams food security fearmongering
[4] DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker
[6] Wildlife found thriving on solar farms
– ENDS –
Editor’s notes
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser | gsimkins@solarenergyuk.org
Author
Gareth Simkins
Senior Communications Adviser
Talk to me about
PR and Media