UK-based solar farms will have very minimal impact on food production, new research from Lightsource Renewable Energy has revealed.
With solar farms expected to be more common across the country, following recent calls from energy and climate change minister Greg Barker for the installations to deliver 20GW of UK electricity supply by 2020.
However, the plans have sparked fears among local communities about the potential threat to farmland, the environment and the aesthetics of the area.
New research has however aimed to quell these concerns, suggesting that solar farms will not reduce the already-limited food production capacities in the UK.
The research has however suggested that if the minister's aims are to be met, up to 53,977 hectares of land would be required.
As this accounts for just 0.29 per cent of the UK's total agricultural land, it would only see UK-grown food reduced by just 0.2 per cent.
A recent publication from the Solar Trade Association has outlined ten commitments for solar farm developments, with one of the main points based on protecting agricultural land sites and instead focus large-scale renewable schemes on land which has lower agricultural value.
This focus would see even more UK farmland protected, if solar farms are created of land which could be valuable for food production.
Operations director at Lightsource Renewable Energy Mark Turner said that despite the concerns, there would be an "incredibly small" impact on the the activity.
"[Our] domestic food production will likely increase over the years, but one of the biggest myths is that solar farms can’t be used to cultivate food. Solar farms are currently being used across the country not only to generate clean power but as grazing land for sheep and other animals,” he added.
The numbers of solar panels installed on properties throughout the UK is now experiencing steady growth, despite a recent drop in installations following the surge in uptake following the change in the feed-in tariff rates at the end of July.
That’s according to recent figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which showed that in the week ending August 18th, there were some 1,910 installations of 50kW-scale systems and below, as registered on the governmental database.
This is an increase on the 1,547 systems of this scale installed during the week ending August 11th, and represents a capacity of 7,145kW of power.
In 2013 so far, there have been 458,247 installations in the sub 50kW category in the UK, taking total solar capacity up to 1,644,039kW.
Most of the installations came in the form of systems with between 0 to 4kW generating abilities. This accounted for 5,338kW of the total power potential installed for the week.
There was, however, a marked increase on the total power installed in the 10-50kW capacity group when comparing the last two weeks of data. For the week ending August 11th, there was just 954kW installations of solar systems of this scale, whereas the following week saw 1,507kW.
The steady installation figures shows that appetite for renewable energy systems in the UK is still solid, with people looking to cut their household carbon emissions and their energy bills in the process.
Furthermore, with larger installations also experiencing an increase, it is possible that UK businesses are starting to see the benefits of installing solar panels onto their premises in order to cut running costs in the long term.
Despite the recent degression of the feed-in tariff rates, some stability has been placed in the industry as these rates will remain frozen until 2014.
A new solar farm development will soon be featured on a former colliery site in Nottinghamshire, the local council has revealed.
Gedling Colliery will be the home of the 5MW generation site, which will help to create enough energy to power an estimated 1,000 homes every year.
Around 23,000 solar modules will feature on the 14-hectare site, with the farm expected to keep the local wildlife in mind when it comes to development and the finished product.
The solar panels will feature nestboxes and mounds in order to support the ecological habitat of the area.
By keeping the local environment in mind, the scheme is adhering to recent guidelines set out by the Solar Trade Association (STA) in its 'Ten Commitments' plan for solar development.
The rules suggest that solar developments should keep local protected land and conservation areas in mind, and maintain sensitivity to wildlife in such areas.
Work on the scheme is expected to be completed as early as 2014, with residents soon able to benefit from clean renewable energy which could help to significantly reduce energy bills.
Leader of the Gedling Borough Council John Clarke welcomed the scheme and hailed its potential benefits for people in the local area.
“The solar farm will provide long-term renewable and sustainable energy for our residents. This, in addition to the recent announcement of plans for the Country Park, shows our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and providing a solid sustainability plan for future generations.”
Gedling, a small suburb of the Nottinghamshire area, has seen the colliery closed and unused since 1991. Opened in 1899, the site was once the main provider of jobs and supplies to the local area.
The borough council claimed the land in July this year, after agreeing a long-term lease with owners of the site Harworth Estates.
Following recent protests in Balcombe, Sussex over the proposed fracking activity in the area, the controversial energy source has once again become a hot topic in the UK media.
The extraction of shale gas through fracking has been known to cause small earthquakes and affect water supplies. Furthermore, despite producing half of the emissions of energy created through coal, shale gas still has an impact on climate change.
Residents and green protesters were successful in their protests, but exploration could soon still begin at the site.
In a recent poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Solar Trade Association (STA), some 40 per cent of respondents said they would rather see a solar farm in the local area when given the choice of four energy generation developments.
The survey of 2,068 people revealed that 25 per cent of people would prefer to see a wind farm in their local area, whereas ten per cent would prefer a nuclear power plant. Only six per cent said they would rather see shale gas developments and boreholes.
In order to battle the negative associations linked to solar farms, the STA has launched a 'Ten Commitments' plan for future solar farm developments.
This includes a focus on non-agricultural land or low quality agricultural land for solar farms, sensitivity to protected land and conservation areas, and a minimum visual impact for solar farms in local areas.
Furthermore, the STA said that best practice should see developers engage with the community before submitting plans to the local council, while encouraging land diversification through continued agricultural use and incorporating biodiversity measures.
Final commitments state that local people will be employed as well as local suppliers utilised; consideration will be taken during construction and throughout the project's lifespan; local community views will be taken into account; solar farms will be used as an educational opportunity; and the land will be returned to life once the project life has ended.
Chief executive of the STA Paul Barwell said: "When solar farms are done well they can be a force for good in the local countryside, as well as building national energy security and protecting the global climate.
"For the UK, with its beautiful countryside, maintaining strong public support for solar farms is a challenge this new industry is keen to take on by delivering the very best practice."
Yesterday (August 20th) marked the estimated moment where Earth's annual demand for resources exceeds what can possibly be renewed in a year.
The Global Footprint Network, an international sustainability think tank based in California, Europe and Japan, named August 20th as Earth Overshoot Day, with the world using more energy in just eight months than nature can replenish in a year.
According to research from the Global Footprint Network, humanity is now using ecological resources and services at a rate it would take just over 1.5 Earths to renew.
Different countries require different amounts of energy and resources, however. The think tank revealed that China has a far smaller per capita 'footprint' than countries in Europe and North America. If everyone lived how residents in the China do, there would only be the need for 1.2 Earths to renew supplies.
If this were changed to the United States, the world would need four Earths to handle demand. In Qatar, a typical resident currently requires a staggering six Earths to supply resource demand.
Furthermore, the Network has suggested that we could reach a global need for two Earths to supply demand well before 2050.
"While the global recession that began in October 2008 slowed humanity's demand for resources, our consumption continues to rise," the think tanks statement said.
"To avoid economic hardship, resource limits must be at the core of decision-making. Current resource trends already cannot meet the needs of the planet's 7 billion – and growing – population. About two billion people lack access to the resources required to meet their basic needs."
This should see national governments shift their focus towards renewable systems, with solar panels just one of the many methods to achieve clean, sustainable energy on a large scale.
While energy supplies is not the single contributing factor to a depletion of Earth's resources, a reduction in fossil fuels will help to cut the worldwide need for nature's supplies.
Gas and electricity consumption in UK homes saw a noticeable decline in the years between 2005 and 2011, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.
There was a decrease of 24.7 per cent in energy consumption during the time period, with average consumption standing at 19.7MWh in 2011. In 2005, average consumption stood at 26.2MWh per year.
A number of factors have been attributed to the decline in consumption of almost a quarter, including increased campaigns for energy savings, the introduction of EPC ratings for buildings, increases in loft and cavity wall insulation, and improved boilers.
Furthermore, the number of households installing renewable systems such as solar panels could also be one of the reasons for the stark decrease in energy usage.
Another reason could be households becoming more aware of their consumption, due to rising gas and electricity prices.
Renewable systems will not only help to cut a households reliance on expensive energy from the national grid, but they could also provide a source of income through schemes like the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive and the feed-in tariff.
According to the ONS statistics, the South West used the least energy during 2011 on average when compared to other regions in England and Wales.
The South West used just 16.1 MWh of energy per household in 2011, in comparison with the 27.5 MWh used in the East Midlands.
Recent statistics from SmartestEnergy revealed that the South West was one of the most prominent locations for commercial solar energy generation, and it is also a top region for domestic panel installations, due to the levels of sunlight in the area.
Wales followed closely behind the South West in regards to energy consumption, with just 16.3MWh hours used by the average household during 2011.
Increased government emphasis on solar schemes could perhaps further decrease these figures in the coming years, especially following the introduction of the Green Deal and the feed-in tariff.
Regions in the UK could face a "postcode lottery" when it comes to how prepared they are for the impact of climate change.
A recent study from scientists at Newcastle University has suggested that where you live in the country could define how ready you are to combat climate change and adapt to future weather.
According to the research, London and Leicester are the most prepared regions for climate change, due to their adaptations of renewable practices and mitigation measures. On the other side of the scale, Wrexham and Derry were reported as the least prepared.
Dr Oliver Heidrich of the university said: “Of the 30 cities we assessed, all of them acknowledged that climate change was a threat and all except two had a strategy or policy in place to reduce emissions and also adapt to cope better with future weather patterns, in particular flooding."
While the majority of cities studied had targets in place for a reduction of carbon emissions, the university was concerned that an actual figure or timescale had not been given for these – a factor which made the targets meaningless, Dr Heidrich suggested.
“Local Authorities are pivotal to the implementation of global climate policy so it is essential that we embed adaptation and mitigation strategies within the urban planning framework,” he added.
A number of council's across the UK have implemented community switching schemes and other policies to help residents cut down carbon emissions and energy bill costs.
Furthermore, some have introduced solar panel schemes, providing council properties with the technology.
Contact your local council and see if any of these initiatives are in place to help you reach your own personal carbon reduction goals.
However, if this is not the case, wider government schemes such as the Green Deal or the feed-in tariff can be accessed for domestic properties, which could see residents significantly cut their energy bills and prepare for the effects of climate change in the process.
Residents in the UK are continuing to embrace clean, renewable energy, with an increase in weekly installations of solar panels.
According to the latest installation figures from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), installations of below 50kW have now hit the 6MW-a-week mark.
For the week ending July 28th, installations of solar PV accounted for a total capacity of 6.1MW, whereas the week ending August 4th saw a small rise to 6.4MW.
However, despite the earlier rise in capacity, the number of installations registered did see a slight decline to 5.5MW for the week ending August 11th.
It is worth noting that lags in the DECC database often means that figures are revised upwards, meaning the totals could be marginally lower than first reported.
For the last three weeks, total installations have reached 1,625, 1,642 and 1,520, which is still someway off the year's record total of 5,866 PV panels installed to the end of June 30th – pushed up by the changing feed-in tariff levels.
The feed-in tariff rate freeze until 2014 has encouraged both the industry and consumers. The average installation per week is still much lower than what was achieved from March to June, when figures stood at 9.7MW a week.
Of the 1,520 installations that were registered last week, some 95 per cent of these were in the 0.4kW category. However, the 4-10kW and 10-50kW tariff bands only saw 36 and 38 arrays installed respectively.
Homeowners looking to install solar technology on their property will not only be able to help the environment, they will reduce their energy bills in the long-term.
Cutting the cost of energy bills will be coupled with money made from selling excess energy back to the National Grid, with money generated through the feed-in tariff.
The Nottingham Playhouse has received a huge funding package which will allow it to install a number of carbon reducing technologies.
Arts Council England (ACE) has provided a massive £1 million in funding which will go towards solar panels, new light fittings, heat saving lobby doors and double glazing. The money has been granted as part of ACE's 'Capital Investment Programme', which intends to make a number of its major funded programmes more energy-efficient.
Due the the Playhouse being a Grade II-listed building, it is very difficult to heat and light efficiently, which is why renewable technologies are so vitally needed at the venue.
Early plans have suggested that up to 156 solar panels will be installed on the roof of the building, which will have the potential to generate up to £4,500 every year. In total, all the new green installations will be able to save approximately £35,000 for the popular city venue.
The money saved on utility bills and earned through the feed-in tariff will be put back into providing education and theatre for local people.
However, the Playhouse is still looking for an additional £75,000 in funding to ensure that the scheme goes ahead as planned. It has therefore called on visitors for donations, with a scheme also introduced to spend £5 for a solar cell. The initiative requires 9,000 solar cells in total.
Other plans will see the 50-year-old light fittings replaced – a move which is expected to reduce energy consumption by as much as 35,000 kw. The playhouse has around six months to raise the extra £75,000.
Stephanie Sirr, chief executive of the Playhouse, said: “These funds will increase opportunities for performance and participation in a welcoming, sustainable and creative setting. We are grateful to all our supporters and in particular to Sir Harry Djanogly who has made a generous donation to the appeal.”
With the UK government looking for alternative methods to power the UK's homes, businesses and public facilities, reserves of natural gas under the country could soon be accessed through the controversial extraction method of fracking.
The activity has been linked with earthquakes and has even led to water supplies being contaminated with gas.
As a result, UK residents have been protesting in areas such as Balcombe in Surrey, where one of the proposed sites of extraction could soon be located.
A new poll from ICM, conducted on behalf of The Guardian, has revealed that 44 per cent of British people support fracking, whereas 30 per cent are opposed. The rest of respondents were undecided on the issue.
The research was based on a random sample of 1,001 adults aged 18 or over, who were called between August 9th and 11th 2013.
Fracking for natural gas has been labelled as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels, and could be used in addition to offshore and onshore wind farms and solar schemes to help power the country.
Reserves of the gas found under various areas in the UK could provide power for decades, and the government intends to increase its activities to keep up with the progress experienced in the US.
With such a potential for harm to residents and the country alike, is fracking really the best option for our energy future?
Solar systems and wind turbines might be seen as less efficient than fracking, but working together alongside other renewable energy technologies such as biomass boilers, large amounts of power can be produce with less damage to the environment.
Furthermore, homes that install solar panels will be able to handle their own energy needs whilst benefiting from money from the government through schemes such as the feed-in tariff.
Providing a clean, sustainable, and above all, safe method of energy for the country should be a priority. Although shale gas reportedly releases half the carbon emissions of coal, it will still cause some damage to the environment, while extraction will put a number of UK areas at risk of earthquakes and other dangers.