Highlights
- EDF Renewables and Nature Positive have today (July 11) announced a new long-term academic partnership with the University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute.
- Focusing on Longfield Solar Farm, it will be the first to look the effects large-scale solar farms can have on soil health, fauna, wildlife habitats and carbon flux.
In an industry first, EDF Renewables UK and Nature Positive have today (July 11) announced a long-term academic partnership with the University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) to study the ecological effects of solar farms at Longfield Solar Farm.
This partnership - the first in what EDF Renewables UK expects to be long-term research programme - will examine the effects large-scale solar farms can have on soil health, fauna, wildlife habitats and carbon flux under and adjacent to arrays. An experimental area of approximately 50 hectares within the site will allow researchers to test different management regimes and compare areas of solar panels with undeveloped agricultural land, providing evidence on the potential for land under solar farms to generate net benefits for biodiversity, carbon and soil quality.
The outputs of the research will influence ecological initiatives at Longfield Solar Farm - a new solar farm with battery storage in Essex capable of providing enough clean, secure energy to power up to 96,000 homes* every year. Construction on its main site is expected to begin next year, with some early works already completed on site - including over six acres of advanced planting of new trees and hedgerows.
Announcing the partnership today, Matthew Boulton, Director of Solar, Storage and Private Wire at EDF Renewables UK said, "This research is critical to our commitment to balancing the creation of renewable energy with the protection of our important green spaces and we are thrilled to be partnering with the University of Exeter to make it happen. Having robust data will be invaluable for measuring the tried and tested biodiversity improvements we already make, while also informing future decision-making to maximise biodiversity improvements on each of our solar farms."
Jon Bennie, Director of Education and Student Experience at Exeter University said, "If managed appropriately, solar farms present significant opportunities to provide habitat for wildlife, enhance biodiversity and maintain healthy soils and ecosystems. This long-term piece of research will allow us to study the potential benefits and challenges involved in the construction and operation of solar farms, helping to inform management decisions to maximise these environmental gains and minimise potential risks."
Mark Lang from Nature Positive said, "Whilst solar farms have become increasingly important in meeting the national need for renewable energy, the potential benefits they can have in improving biodiversity and providing other ecosystem services have to date been poorly understood. It is hoped the research will contribute to the collective understanding of how solar farms can be effectively managed to enhance biodiversity, influencing current best practice in the rapidly growing solar industry."
The research programme is planned to begin later this year, spanning across six years so that the part-time PhD is able to take measurements before, during and post development. The findings will join a growing body of research highlighting the potential ecological benefits of solar farms, informing industry best-practice in manging solar farms to maximise biodiversity improvements.
Notes
*1. Load factors based on the five year rolling averages on unchanged configuration basis using Table 6.5 of Digest of UK Energy Statistics' - latest figures as per July 2019.
2. Based upon the average domestic electricity consumption per home (temperature corrected) per the Energy Consumption in the UK (published July 2019, Table C9 of ECUK)
3. Based upon the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's "all fossil fuels" emissions statistic of 450 tonnes of carbon dioxide per GWh of electricity supplied in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (published July 2020).
EDF Renewables UK
EDF Renewables UK is a subsidiary of EDF Group, one of the world's largest low carbon electricity companies. We are providing much needed low carbon electricity, with an operating portfolio of 43 renewable energy sites totalling more than 1.5 GW of electricity across battery, onshore and offshore wind. Our contribution to the UK's energy supply is set to expand with almost 14 GW of projects in planning and development, including wind, battery and solar. Find out more at www.edf-re.uk.
University of Exeter Environment and Sustainability Institute
The University of Exeter's Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) was established in 2013 to support research addressing global environmental challenges by working with natural systems for sustainable futures. The ESI's contributions are focused on ecosystem dynamics including biodiversity renewal, renewable energy development and the importance of partnerships and public engagement in delivering change.
For further information, please contact
Lindsey Southworth
Lindsey.Southworth@edf-re.uk
