Queequeg Renewables has established a partnership with a UK environmental consultancy that specialises in biodiversity net gain (BNG).
The company is retaining the services of Biodiverse Consulting on five solar and battery storage projects across the UK to ensure that each site meets its BNG targets.
BNG was mandated as part of The Environment Act 2021 and came into force in February this year.
The law ensures that developments affecting habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before by at least 10%.
Chris Binns, UK Planning Director at Queequeg Renewables, said: “Well-designed and managed solar farms in particular contribute a range of important ecosystem features.
“They can support sustainable agriculture, regulate air quality, mitigate flood risk, generate new habitats, and reduce carbon emissions.
Solar farms improve local biodiversity by supporting new and existing plant and animal life in a range of ways, both on-site and also on nearby land.
These include establishing wildflower meadows and grasslands creating habitats for pollinators, butterflies and ground-nesting birds.
Other measures include preserving and supporting new hedgerow growth to reverse hedgerow loss, a major concern for countryside management across the UK as well as preserving and promoting new wetland habitats with specifically designed on-site drainage and water management systems.
Binns added: “The expert team at Biodiverse Consulting works with us from a project’s initial concept stage to understand the flora and fauna on site and the habitats and wildlife that are present.
“They then create a bespoke solution that maximises a new site’s positive impact for people and wildlife alike.
“Their insight is invaluable.”
Vicki Mordue, Founder and Director of Biodiverse Consulting, said: “Protecting habitats and encouraging biodiversity is now a legal requirement and should be a serious consideration for landowners and developers.
“For companies to deliver mandatory 10 percent biodiversity net gains, they must thoroughly understand the risks and opportunities of each individual project.
“Our integrated approach involves expert guidance at each stage of the development process – beginning with preliminary risk and opportunity appraisals, followed by survey and assessment for planning and monitoring: through to construction and ongoing operations.
“From working with Chris and the team, it is clear that Queequeg takes the issue of biodiversity extremely seriously and works hard to transform each of its sites into spaces where local species thrive.”