NEWS I ROUNDUP
Solar Trade Association guide for solar farms is welcomed by energy minister
THE SOLAR TRADE ASSOCIATION (STA) has published ‘10 Commitments’ it wants its membership to comply with in the construction and management of solar farms. The solar farm sector is also boosted by a new YouGov poll which shows that two thirds of the public support either ‘any’ or ‘good quality’ solar farms. Support rises to 71% when best practice is described.
The Commitments have been developed by leading solar developers over the past three months in the solar farm sector of the solar industry. The STA recognises that solar farms must be developed by listening to the concerns of the local communities, being sensitive to the landscape and protecting the ecological value of the land.
STA CEO 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.
“Solar farms create no noise or waste, have no moving parts, require minimal maintenance and have a low visual impact, so it is clear why good schemes enjoy strong public support. We’ve been impressed by the level of enthusiasm from conservation groups telling us that solar could help their efforts to protect vulnerable British plant and animal species.
“Our 10 Commitments set out the direction of travel for the solar farm industry, which is to deliver multiple benefits, not only for the climate, but for the British countryside. We want all our members to comply with these Commitments and we believe the whole industry should get behind these standards.”
Welcoming the STA’s ‘10 Commitments’, Energy Minister Greg Barker said:
8
www.solar-uk.net I Issue III 2013
“As the big roll out of solar gathers pace and the sector scales up, the deployment of solar PV must be carried out in a manner which is thoughtful, sustainable and respects both the landscape and the views of the communities among which it is deployed.
So the Solar Trade Association’s ‘10 Commitments’ are a very welcome initiative to help retain the strong level of public support. I look forward to hearing the industry’s plans to take this forward.”
Patrick Begg, Rural Enterprises Director at the National Trust, has welcomed the initiative, saying it is: “hugely refreshing and heartening to see the industry making a robust commitment to best practice when it comes to locating, setting up and then managing solar farms.”
Avoiding conflict with food production & supporting biodiversity
By focusing on non-agricultural land and land of lower agricultural quality, the ‘10 Commitments’ make clear the solar industry’s determination not to displace food production. Encouraging
dual purpose land usage, for example sheep grazing, and enabling access for small animals and birds, whilst helping to improve the ecological value of the land, is a key aspect of helping biodiversity.
Chief Adviser on Renewable Energy and Climate Change to the NFU Dr Jonathan Scurlock, a key stakeholder in developing the ‘10 Commitments’, said: “Farmers are well-placed to capture renewable natural energy flows, while maintaining our traditional role in providing food together with other environmental and land management services.
Growers and food processors have a long history of harnessing the power of the sun, and solar electricity clearly has a major role to play in modern agriculture. The NFU is delighted that lead solar developers have signed up to such a strong charter of good practice to deliver multiple benefits from the development of solar farms.”
STA members are also committing to engage with local communities ahead of planning applications, to listen to
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48