In an trade first, EDF Renewables UK and Nature Positive in the present day introduced a long-term tutorial partnership with the University of Exeter’s Environment and Sustainability Institute (ESI) to review the ecological impacts of photo voltaic farms in Longfield. photo voltaic farm.
This partnership – the primary of what EDF Renewables UK expects to be a long-term analysis program – will study the consequences large-scale photo voltaic farms can have on soil well being, fauna, wildlife habitat, and carbon flux. below and adjoining to the arrays. An experimental space of roughly 50 hectares. inside the website will enable researchers to check totally different administration regimes and evaluate photo voltaic panel websites with undeveloped agricultural land, offering proof of the potential of land below photo voltaic farms to generate internet advantages for biodiversity, carbon and soil high quality.
Research outcomes will affect ecological initiatives at Longfield photo voltaic farm – a brand new photo voltaic farm with battery storage in Essex able to offering sufficient clear, protected vitality to energy 96 000 properties yearly. Construction on its predominant website is predicted to start subsequent 12 months, with some early works already accomplished on website – together with greater than six hectares of superior planting of recent timber and hedgerows.
Matthew Boulton, Director of Solar, Storage and Private Wire at EDF Renewables UK, mentioned: “This analysis is vital to our dedication to balancing the manufacturing of renewable vitality with the safety of our very important inexperienced areas and we is delighted to be working with the University of Exeter to do that. Having sturdy knowledge will likely be invaluable for measuring the tried and examined biodiversity enhancements we have already made, whereas additionally informing future decision-making to scale up biodiversity enhancement in every of our photo voltaic farms.
Jon Bennie, Director of Education and Student Experience at Exeter University, added: “When managed correctly, photo voltaic farms current vital alternatives to supply habitat for wildlife, enhance biodiversity and preserve wholesome soils. and ecosystems. This long-term analysis space will enable us to review the potential advantages and challenges related to the development and operation of photo voltaic farms, which can assist inform administration selections to maximise these advantages. atmosphere and reduce potential hazards.”
Mark Lang from Nature Positive, commented: “As photo voltaic farms turn out to be extra necessary in assembly the nationwide demand for renewable vitality, the potential advantages they’ll have in enhancing biodiversity and offering different ecosystem providers in is presently not nicely understood. It is hoped that the analysis will contribute to the collective understanding of how photo voltaic farms could be successfully managed to advertise biodiversity, influencing present finest apply within the quickly rising photo voltaic trade.
The analysis program is deliberate to start out later this 12 months, which can final for six years in order that the part-time PhD will be capable to measure earlier than, throughout and after the progress. The findings be a part of a rising physique of analysis highlighting the potential ecological advantages of photo voltaic farms, informing trade finest apply in managing photo voltaic farms to maximise enhancements. of biodiversity.
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Read the article on-line at: https://www.energyglobal.com/photo voltaic/15072024/edf-renewables-and-nature-positive-to-consider-environmental-benefits-of-solar-farm/