The development of solar farms in the UK

The UK Government is committed to meeting 15% of the nation's energy needs from a mixture of renewable sources by 2020. As solar power is more abundant than wind, water and biomass, the recent development of solar farms is seen to have a role in helping to achieve this target. This article outlines the characteristics of solar farms, their geographical distribution and locational development criteria within the UK. It also examines some of the planning issues raised by solar farm developments. The findings reveal that the development pressure for solar farms is greatest in the southeast and southwest of England; and examples of proposals to develop solar farms in England and Wales help to illustrate the wide range of environmental, social and economic issues in these areas. Finally, the article indicates, that while obtaining planning permission has not been a major constraint on solar farm development to date, a study of the planning issues they raise can provide a valuable lens through which society's changing relationship to energy production and consumption can be viewed