Ensuring the future of UK farming with solar energy solutions

Recent heatwaves that have swept across the UK are yet another stark reminder of how climate change is no longer a distant threat – it’s here, now, and impacting every corner of rural life.

For UK farmers, these extreme weather events are not just environmental challenges, but existential ones.

Unpredictable flooding, prolonged droughts, and scorching temperatures are increasingly becoming the norm, disrupting growing seasons and threatening the long-term viability of farms.

This is on top of an already challenging policy environment, whether it be lower tariffs of US beef imports, IHT changes or the rising cost of employment. 

While the government has acknowledged the risks through various policies and adaptation plans, many farmers are already living with the day-to-day consequences of a changing climate. In this challenging context, solar farms offer more than just clean energy – they are fast becoming a crucial part of ensuring the viability and future of farming in the UK. 

Impacts on farming

According to the Met Office, the UK has experienced its 10 warmest years on record since 2003, with 2022 being the hottest year ever recorded.

Alongside rising temperatures, the frequency and severity of droughts are increasing. The Environment Agency has warned that, without urgent action, demand for water in parts of the UK will exceed supply by 2050.

The summer of 2022 brought this warning into sharp focus. Nearly every region in England was placed under drought conditions, with reservoir and river levels at record lows.

Even outside of official drought declarations, prolonged dry periods and erratic rainfall are becoming more common, and spring planting seasons have become harder to predict.

Meanwhile, unseasonably heavy rainfall – often following long dry spells – leads to runoff, erosion, and nutrient loss, further degrading soil health and reducing productivity.

The financial and economic toll is considerable. Heatwaves and water shortages lead to smaller harvests, higher input costs, and mounting uncertainty.

For many farmers – particularly those managing lower-quality, less productive land – each season brings a fresh set of risks. Diversification of income streams, once a strategic choice, is quickly becoming a necessity for financial stability.

Solar as a solution

Solar energy is a key part of the UK’s net zero transition, but for farmers, it also offers a resilient income stream that isn’t dependent on weather or market volatility, Photovolt says.

Leasing land for solar development delivers a reliable, long-term income stream that is protected from extreme weather events and rising input costs.

This income can be transformative, especially for farms operating on lower-grade or marginal land, where traditional agricultural returns are increasingly unpredictable. 

Solar rents are typically guaranteed over 30–40 years (the duration of a project’s lifespan), giving farmers a level of financial certainty that is rare in the sector.

This stability can support investment in farm infrastructure, diversification projects, or transition to more sustainable practices, all without relying on seasonal yields or government subsidies. 

Additionally, solar projects can provide farms with direct access to lower-cost, clean electricity. This reduces energy bills, improves energy security, and supports the farm’s transition to low-carbon operations.

Most importantly, it can allow over-farmed land to recover over the lifetime of a project, ready to return to productive use. 

The environmental benefits of solar farms are also well documented. They reduce carbon emissions and contribute to cleaner air and provide areas where sites sit with significant biodiversity net gain. But when thoughtfully developed, solar projects can also actively support climate adaptation and land regeneration.

Take, for example, the Botley West Solar Farm in Oxfordshire. In Cassington, the plans include the creation of a new lake to help manage flood risk and improve water resilience in a region increasingly affected by drought and water stress.

These kinds of integrated, forward-thinking designs show how collaboration between farmers, developers, and local authorities can yield practical responses to our changing climate, Photovolt shares.

Recent policy developments also offer reassurance and certainty to farmers. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published its Solar Roadmap, outlining a clear strategy to reach at least 48GW of solar generation by 2030.

This provides welcome clarity for farmers considering solar, showing that the government sees it as a central pillar of the UK’s energy future.

Building resilience 

Solar energy offers a rare win-win: it cuts emissions, supports biodiversity, and provides farmers with a vital financial lifeline that can help stabilise their businesses in an increasingly volatile world.

This isn’t about replacing farming – it’s about strengthening it, by making the most of unproductive land and allowing for it recover and regenerate, recognising the real impact of increasingly common extreme weather events, and aligning environmental goals with economic need.

The climate crisis is already reshaping farming.

By embracing solar as part of a broader adaptation strategy, farmers can ensure that they not only enduring these changes, but helping lead the way toward a more sustainable rural future, the company concludes.

For more information, visit the Photovolt Development Partners website.

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