Suggestions by Conservative leadership candidates that solar development in the UK should be restricted has been branded “deeply concerning” by the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA).
Prime Ministerial hopefuls Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have expressed views at recent hustings that solar PV should be replaced with crops and livestock.
Truss has repeated her criticism in recent days describing solar farms as “paraphernalia”, amid growing concern she would be prepared to change planning laws to restrict further solar development if elected.
REA has hit back warning that solar supports rather than harms agriculture with developers seeking to build on marginal land or ensuring multi-land use applications.
Mark Sommerfeld, Head of Power and Flexibility at REA, said: “The language used so far over the course of the Conservative leadership race regarding solar and land use is deeply concerning, and the REA urges the candidates to recognise that solar farms do not encroach on agricultural land.”
He added: “Given the current heatwave, and the loss of crops as drought is declared across eight regions of England, it seems odd that the Conservative leadership candidates should be pushing against one of the cheapest solutions to replacing gas imports that are driving up energy bills and the cost of living.
“Pledging to change planning laws to restrict further solar development would pose a serious threat to the jobs and investment created by the solar industry. It would undermine the UK’s ability to reach Net Zero and keep us locked in to expensive fossil fuels at a huge cost to households and businesses. Delivering more solar projects is not only an environmental imperative, but an economic one too.”
REA’s response follows similar concerns raised from trade association Solar Energy UK last week.