Could Your Solar Farm "very well just blow away"? – Addressing Misconceptions through the Planning Process
Reading an article in the Irish Examiner, my eye was caught by a quote from the Irish Farming Association’s chair, raising concerns that solar arrays were untested in Ireland and given weather conditions there, “[t]hese things could very well just blow away”. I wondered just how windy it gets there (with visions of ‘cow-nadoes’ sweeping across the farmland).
Perhaps I should back the truck up a little and introduce myself. I’m Penny Laurenson, Head of Planning at Lightsource – that’s Penny like the coin, not the apron (apparently ‘Pinny’ is how it sounds to the British ears in my *hopefully* endearing kiwi accent). Since joining Lightsource back in 2010, I have overseen the successful grant of planning permission for 133 solar farms, with a combined installed capacity of approximately 825 MWp. My team of Planners (which has numbered from 6 to 19) undertake all the core planning and engagement activities for our sites, while we engage leading consultants for technical disciplines we do not have in house (landscape, ecology, heritage etc).
The article above reminded me of a community consultation event we held for a proposed solar farm in Devon back in 2012, where I was asked a very similar question. Given the prevalence of solar farms in Europe, I was pretty certain that the arrays were designed to avoid panels flying past the neighbours’ window every time the wind got up. Regardless, how we communicate the answers to such questions is critical – an overly complex discussion about static loading calculations probably wasn’t what they were after, but a casual “she’ll be right” would also have been wide of the mark. Planners play a critical role in interpreting and presenting the myriad technical aspects of a project in a way that is readily accessible and comprehensible by the general public.
Myth busting has always been an important part of the Planner’s job on development proposals, particularly so for us in areas where solar farms are new to people. Some of the more memorable queries we’ve addressed include: whether the solar farm would result in large bug and spider infestations (no, that sounds like a horror movie!); whether horses going past would take fright (in brief, no); and the industry standard, whether PV panels work in the UK and Ireland given the ‘temperamental’ summers (a resounding yes, they require daylight not sunshine). We even once had a neighbour complain that they wouldn’t be able to see the solar panels as the hedgerows were too high!
Direct engagement is an integral part of our project development. This approach does have unavoidable resourcing implications, with members of the team regularly travelling to meet with local communities. Convincing several members of our Senior Management Team to accompany me to Parish Council meetings and community engagement events early on allowed them to see first-hand the benefit of talking directly to the communities that will be our neighbours. In my opinion, the opportunity to address misassumptions in person, rather than letting concerns spiral through the rumour mill, is always worth the effort.
Image source: www.drawception.com
Related news
05 Jul, 2024
Sharing knowledge and charting the path for the future of solar – Lightsource bp Q2 2024 events wrap up
Lightsource bp’s teams have been on the road throughout the second quarter of 2024, take a look at what they've been up too.
03 Jul, 2024
Zosia Riesner discusses Lightsource bp’s partnerships and shares power market insights on NPM Europe’s podcast
Zosia Riesner, Lightsource bp Director of Power Markets for Europe, appeared on the Interconnections podcast to share insights on the continent’s power market.
28 Jun, 2024
Lightsource bp global legal team ‘Highly Commended’ at The Lawyer Awards 2024
Lightsource bp’s global legal team was highly commended for ‘In-house commerce and industry team of the year’ at The Lawyer Awards 2024.
28 Jun, 2024
How artificial intelligence (AI) is helping Lightsource bp enhance its operations
We are increasingly using AI to help us work smarter and find solutions to overcome significant challenges.
25 Jun, 2024
Netherlands: Championing sustainable energy, biodiversity and agrivoltaics in partnership with the British Embassy
Lightsource bp Netherlands partnered with the British Embassy to celebrate King Charles III's Birthday, while promoting the benefits of agrivoltaics.
21 Jun, 2024
European Solar Day: Celebrating the solar opportunity
The longest day of 2024 in the Northern Hemisphere is 21 June, it also marks European Solar Day, an annual celebration marking the power and potential of the sun.
20 Jun, 2024
Lightsource bp publishes 2023 Sustainability Report
Lightsource bp, a global leader in solar development, is pleased to publish its 2023 Sustainability Report.
07 Jun, 2024
Spain: Agrivoltaics workshop held in partnership with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy
Lightsource bp is ramping up its capabilities to deliver important agrivoltaics projects to support sustainable farming businesses.
24 May, 2024
Spain: Collaboration on research project to study Lesser Kestrel habitats
Lightsource bp collaborates with CSIC on research project to study Lesser Kestrel habitat use in Spain.
16 May, 2024
Raising the bar for agriculture and solar
In the heart of central France, Lightsource bp is working with a local cattle farmer to develop plans for a new form of agrivoltaic project.