Solar farms 'vital' for energy security - researcher

The government has final say on large solar farms, rather than local councils

A leading climate change researcher has insisted solar farms are vital for the UK’s energy security.

Asher Minns, from the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia in Norwich said: “We need to be producing our own electricity, not relying on overseas regimes."

His comments came after concerns were raised by Norfolk County Council's leader, who said she found a growing number of plans for solar farms “deeply disturbing”.

Conservative Kay Mason Billig said she was worried “valuable agricultural land” was being used for solar panels.

Kay Mason Billig said Norfolk was "not a place to be exploited by the government"

Mrs Billig told a council meeting that solar farms were “an eyesore in our beautiful countryside” and local authorities were not given the opportunity to reject them.

Solar farms greater than 50 megawatts (MW) in output are considered too significant to the UK's energy needs to be decided by local councils.

The government has the final say on what are described as "nationally significant infrastructure projects".

The prime minister has said such schemes are necessary to reduce energy bills.

In Norfolk there are plans for two of the UKs largest solar farms.

The High Grove project near Swaffham and Dereham would cover 4,000 acres of land across five sites.

Meanwhile, the 2,700-acre East Pye solar farm is planned for land near Long Stratton.

The largest existing solar farm in the UK is the 260-acre Llanwen in south-east Wales.

Asher Minns said solar farms were an important part of providing energy security for the UK

Mr Minns said that with a growing population and the UK’s need to be less-reliant on foreign energy “we absolutely need to electrify everything”.

He also played down concerns about farmland being lost to solar panels.

He said: “Overall, planned solar is about half a percent of UK land, which is about half of what is currently occupied by golf courses,” he said.

“Whether to have food or whether to have solar panels isn’t a reasonable comparison to be making.”