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Hares darting between hedgerows. Grasses and wildflowers pushing up between rows of solar panels. Birds wheeling overhead. It’s a world away from the smoke-belching power stations of old, and increasingly, the sites generating our power are doing something else besides – they’re giving nature room to recover. Indeed, a growing body of research suggests that well-designed and carefully managed solar farms can serve as refuges for wildlife.
Now, a new certification scheme is aiming to encourage more solar farms to become just that. Launched by Wild Power, the scheme assesses how renewable energy developments protect and improve habitats, awarding certification to those that meet its biodiversity standards. So far, just two solar farms in the UK have earned its seal of approval.
“I like to think of it as a fair trade stamp, but for clean energy,” says Wild Power director Joe Arafa. “Right now, we’re facing both climate and nature crises. A well-managed solar farm can contribute to solving both at the same time.”
