Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his department is taking to ensure that the development of solar farms supports the protection and enhancement of wildlife and natural habitats.

All solar projects are subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the impacts on wildlife and habitats are considered.

Biodiversity net gain is also a legal requirement under the Environment Act 2021 and associated regulations. This means that to acquire planning permission, biodiversity must increase by 10% compared to what was on the site previously.

Well-designed solar farms can achieve gains significantly above 10% through supporting a range of ecosystem services including agriculture, regulating air quality, mitigating flood risk, creating new habitats and reducing carbon emissions. This is why organisations such as RSPB have expressed their support for solar farms.