Campaigners for and against huge solar farms are now contemplating their next moves following a surprise announcement by Energy Minister Greg Barker that the government is to curb their spread.
He pledged that he would not allow solar power to “become the new onshore wind” and said he wanted a shift away from huge solar farms that blight the landscape, in favour of small panels on the roofs of homes, offices and schools.
His comments follow the delayed announcement by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles that a public inquiry is now to be held into the controversial Swindon Borough Council project to turn Wroughton airfield into a solar farm with 160,000 panels.
North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty is totally opposed to the project, for which Swindon Borough Council granted itself planning permission. The plan was strenuously supported by Wroughton Parish Council.
Mr Barker told the House of Commons that Britain’s rooftops should become mini power stations. The government’s new solar strategy now includes plans to turn government offices, factories, supermarkets and car parks into new “solar hubs”.
His intervention comes after it emerged this week that Prime Minister David Cameron is planning to make a stand against onshore wind turbines before the next election.
A Conservative source, reports the Daily Mail, said that Mr Cameron is “of one mind” with the loudest opponents of onshore wind farms and is considering a cap on the number of new turbines.
“I do not want solar farms to become the new onshore wind,” declared Mr Barker. “Solar power enjoys huge popularity, so we have to be careful. I do not want to see unrestricted growth of solar farms in the British countryside.
“We have put ourselves among the world leaders on solar and this ambitious strategy will place us right at the cutting edge. There is massive potential to turn our large buildings into power stations and we must seize the opportunity this offers to boost our economy as part of our long-term economic plan.
“Solar not only benefits the environment, it will see British job creation and deliver the clean and reliable energy supplies the country needs at the lowest possible cost to consumers.”
There has been a huge expansion in the number of large solar projects. Two years ago there were 46 large-scale farms in Britain, but by the end of February this year there were 184 projects. An additional 194 projects have planning permission and are awaiting construction.
A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: “We want to move the emphasis for growth away from large solar farms and instead focus on opening up the solar market for the UK’s estimated 250,000 hectares (600,000 acres) of south-facing commercial rooftops.”
The Solar Trade Association welcomed the announcement, saying it would strengthen the UK’s position in the “booming” global solar market.
Chief executive Paul Barwell told the Daily Mail: “Greg Barker has championed solar power specifically because he knows it has the greatest potential to empower millions of people across the UK with low-cost green energy. Solar will also provide thousands of good-quality local jobs.”
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