Over September and October 2024 PAS co-hosted a series of six online workshops with Solar Energy UK, the trade association representing the solar and energy storage industry in the country.
This series of events was aimed at planners and associated professionals in local councils who are interested in, or responsible for determining, ground mounted solar farm applications. Each workshop was based around Solar Energy UK’s recently published solar factsheets and position statements for local planning authorities and covered a key issue or topic relevant to local planning authorities.
The workshops featured an introductory speaker followed by questions and answers with a panel of experts from a range of different organisations. A recording of each introductory speaker along with slides from their presentation is available to watch and download below.
1) An Introduction to solar developments for planners, from Rich Jones Director of Quod. This presentation gives the "big picture" for planners, covering both TCPA and NSIP schemes Rich provides a broad summary of relevant policy, technology and best practice.
2) Solar farms and agriculture, from Jonathan Scurlock of the National Farmers Union. Jonathan's presentation looks in more detail at the relationship between agricultural land and solar energy developments, setting out the challenges as well as the policy context and potential impacts of solar farms over the project life cycle.
3) Solar farms and archaeology, from Rob Sutton of Cotswold Archaeology. Rob's presentation looks at solar farms and archaeology, focusing on the issue of buried remains and the impact of ground mounted solar with an assessment of challenges and opportunities as well as an examination of changing practices.
Slides: solar farms and archaeology (via prezi.com)
4) Solar farms and biodiversity, from Hannah Montag of Clarkson Woods. Hannah's presentation summarises the issues and opportunities for biodiversity from solar farms including the potential for biodiversity net gain in different settings and some examples of what is possible.
5) Solar farms and site selection, from Ed Perrin Development Director of Low Carbon. Ed sets out the key considerations of developers when selecting sites for new solar farms, looking at a range of technical, policy and practical issues that can shape decisions.
6) Solar farms and batteries storage, from Dan Corcoran and Tom Johnston of RWE. This presentation from Dan and Tom focuses on battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the context of solar farms with an explanation of the key role of BESS in managing supply and demand for energy over a typical day as well as a summary of associated technical developments and safety issues.