United Kingdom

Solar farms can benefit food security – article by SEUK

Solar farms deliver significant benefits for the environment on a number of levels. Renewable, sustainable electricity and biodiversity improvements are the most commonly known, but research is now bringing additional benefits to light. Solar Energy UK, the UK’s solar trade association, has shone a light on new research that suggests that solar farms can contribute positively to food security by enhancing pollinator biodiversity. SEUK writes that if we were to put honeybee hives on every solar farm in England, we could have gained £5.9m worth of pollination service benefits. Careful planning to locate pollinator-dependent crops next to solar farms could theoretically have delivered up to £80 million!

This new information reveals that good management of solar farms could be a “win-win-win scenario for climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation and food security” and is further support for the importance of developing projects that go beyond solar. At Lightsource bp, we’re dedicated to enhancing biodiversity under our Sustainability strategy, and have committed to delivering a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for each of our projects after five years of operation.

To find out more about how solar farm development could benefit food security, read the full article here.

Read related Lightsource bp news

05 Jun, 2025

PPAs: a key lever for the energy transition in Europe

Watch our webinar to learn about how sustainable PPAs are emerging as a key commercial solution for corporate buyers.

Read Story

29 May, 2025

Lightsource bp publishes 2024 Sustainability Report  

Lightsource bp, a global trusted partner in delivering onshore renewable energy solutions, is pleased to publish its 2024 Sustainability Report.

Read Story

21 May, 2025

Supporting farm diversification at Farmers Weekly Transition Live

Earlier this month, members of the Lightsource bp team were at Leeds University Farm for the Farmers Weekly Transition Live event.

Read Story