🐦 Solar farms benefit bird life more than agricultural land

• Well-managed solar parks have been shown to host more bird species and individuals per hectare than surrounding farmland.
• Solar parks that maintain a mix of habitats, uncut grass, and preserved hedges had almost three times more birds compared to nearby farmland.
• The study shows that solar farms do not pose a threat to national food security, especially when built on agricultural land of low or moderate quality.

Higher biodiversity in solar parks

A new study from RSPB and the University of Cambridge shows that well-managed solar farms can make significant contributions to nature while delivering renewable energy. The research, published on Wednesday in the journal Bird Study, examined two types of solar parks in the East Anglian Fens in the UK.

Researchers discovered that solar farms had a greater number of bird species and individual birds per hectare compared to the surrounding agricultural land. Particularly noteworthy was that solar parks managed with a mix of habitats, where grass was left uncut and hedges preserved, had nearly three times more birds than nearby farmland.

Dr. Catherine Waite, researcher at the University of Cambridge and co-author of the study, explains: "With the combined climate and biodiversity crises, efficient land use is crucial. Our study shows that if you manage solar energy production in a certain way, you're not only delivering clean energy but also benefiting biodiversity."

Strategic planning important

The study states, however, that new solar farms should not be located in areas of ecological risk, nature-protected sites, or other locations that are important for rare or declining species. It suggests that solar parks do not pose a threat to national food security, especially when built on agricultural land of low or moderate quality.

RSPB calls for "strategic and spatial planning for renewable energy" to ensure that solar farms are built in areas with low risk to nature. The organization adds that the ongoing consultation on land use is an "important step forward."

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