Think solar farms are bad for nature? Think again. Those designed for nature in East Anglia are teeming with birdlife - including threatened species. A new study reveals why. ⤵️ - ThreadSky

mikegalsworthy.bsky.social • 58 days ago

Think solar farms are bad for nature? Think again.

Those designed for nature in East Anglia are teeming with birdlife - including threatened species. A new study reveals why. ⤵️

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eagleneedle.bsky.social•58 days ago

Solar farms still keep energy in the hands of the few. Every factory roof, every suitable domestic roof should have solar panels to help insulate the population against energy fluctuations and energy exploitation. Any excess energy can go back on the grid. Only works if UK energy is nationalised.

jagsman.bsky.social•58 days ago

Few predators, ideal nesting, fewer humans. Win win

ettervekst.bsky.social•58 days ago

Most of what our economic superorganism is doing is really bad for nature.

lifeisgoodform.bsky.social•57 days ago

Italy. Costa de Polyethene.
Yes. Greenhouses.
#DeGrowth #StopHavingBabies
There are too many of us.

hoojo.bsky.social•58 days ago

Reassuring as that is, solar farms don't need to take up space in nature. UK is small, makes more sense to use deadspace;In France all supermarket carparks are solar canopied, making them, in effect, solar farms & farm buildings (barns) are all roofed with solar.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/06/motorway-central-reservations-could-be-turned-into-solar-farms/

cruncherwax.bsky.social•58 days ago

I'm not sure this is true. Was only in France a couple years ago and none of the supermarkets were fully canopied, most not at all.

hoojo.bsky.social•58 days ago

This has happened very recently & is ongoing

manraisedbypuffins.bsky.social•58 days ago

The law was brought in a couple of years ago. Large car parks have until July 2026 to complete the installation.

cruncherwax.bsky.social•58 days ago

That does sound good. I did a quick Google maps check of an area my relatives live. The new Lidl has them but none of the others yet.

cruncherwax.bsky.social•58 days ago

It would be a great thing to do right enough

hoojo.bsky.social•58 days ago

Time you visited France again perhaps

kaustin-uk.bsky.social•56 days ago

I've not been down a motorway that has that much space in living memory, and I've racked up a fair few miles. You're lucky to get 50-60cm before you're at the concrete central barrier.

hoojo.bsky.social•55 days ago

I think of the A1, when you say that. But there are definitely some roads where this could be done- especially in Scotland Wales etc

samanthasearrings.bsky.social•58 days ago

This is anecdotal, but I did hear that some of the planning permissions ask to scrape the topsoil for sale and concrete the ground underneath.

cycling-john.bsky.social•58 days ago

You heard wrong

samanthasearrings.bsky.social•58 days ago

Pretty sure I did not. I know the land in question and it has many natural springs and a drainage issue.

Back to you.

annoyed-aldo.bsky.social•58 days ago

offshore wind farms also help with nature for one it creates a haven for fish because trawlers are not allowed in the area. 🙂🙂

petercoyte.bsky.social•58 days ago

The Cleve Hill Solar Park on Graveney marsh will be devastating to nature. 5 times bigger than any other site at 360acres and 4mtrs high due to being on a flood plane. Massive vulnerable batteries full of dangerous toxic material https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/cleve-hill-solar-park

acjenky.bsky.social•58 days ago

…and fossil fuels are great for nature…🤣

cam2012.bsky.social•58 days ago

It’s a great headline but the article does not quantify the gains. The comparison is essentially to that of monoculture which is a death knell to biodiversity.

fgnunn.bsky.social•58 days ago

The original paper has the figures.

cam2012.bsky.social•58 days ago

Thank you. I imagine small mammal populations may be boosted with a heightened ability to hide from raptors.

From the article the 5 species per ha for arable is damning of farming practices. The top performing solar farm is creditable.

fgnunn.bsky.social•58 days ago

If you think that the alternative for that land is arable monoculture, then this shows what can be done. Nature needs space- birds need space, without walkers, dogs etc.

cam2012.bsky.social•58 days ago

Yes!

mzpete.bsky.social•58 days ago

Over here in France, they are used as shelters for animals and also farm equipment.

theniceman.bsky.social•58 days ago

Problem is people think farms are good for nature. That's the real issue.

fredfenackerpan.bsky.social•58 days ago

People who complain about the visual aspect forget how much area is now covered with glasshouses or black plastic.
They think all farms look like a 1950s Ladybird book.

actual-intell.bsky.social•58 days ago

Just tried explaining to a well meaning hippy. They can also be used along with productive farms as they can provide shade to crops during intense heat or redirect rain during storms.

whatever-it-is.bsky.social•58 days ago

In north Florida there are thousands of acres of solar farms. You can drive for many many miles along I-10 and see miles of panels. From the interstate as far as you can see and for miles East to West. There was grass for deer to eat. Panels aren’t stopping birds from flying.

bramleappel.bsky.social•58 days ago

In the UK we don't get enough sun to make solar panels, on a large scale, viable, subsidy' and concrete are not 'good fotr nature'. However on the upside you can now get planning permission to build houses on this now brownfield site, trebles all round !

ukcsi.bsky.social•58 days ago

They can be very useful for growing crops etc. underneath, but we still should be utilising large warehouses, car parks and houses more. They're closer to existing power infrastructure too.

lesleyak.bsky.social•58 days ago

We shouldn't have solar farms. Every roof in the UK should have solar panels.

loverofoceans.bsky.social•57 days ago

Offshore windfarms prevent bottom trawling and have enabled mini ecosystems to thrive... fact 👍💙🌊

europeanquest.bsky.social•58 days ago

Have I missed the explanation as to why solar farms are better for wildlife?

tortiekit.bsky.social•58 days ago

They have designated Biodiversity Net Gain areas as a planning requirement. Plus, many are maintained as grassland beneath/between the arrays providing habitats for insects, small mammals, ground nesting birds etc.

jezphillips.bsky.social•58 days ago

Ploughing and using fertiliser, pesticide and biocide is terrible for soil health. Planting monoculture year after year is terrible for biodiversity.

bedfordterrier.bsky.social•58 days ago

Can you explain why they’re not apart from it being the view of the Daily Mail?

europeanquest.bsky.social•58 days ago

No, I am interested in the mechanism involved.

bedfordterrier.bsky.social•58 days ago

Apologies, too many people start from an anti position and work from there.

weirdo95.bsky.social•57 days ago

Solar farms aren't sprayed incessantly with pesticides and herbicides. They revert to local wild meadows. They become a haven for local wildlife from the industrially farmed fields. Or sometimes they are used for sheep who are in turn used to keep the vegetation down.

They are silent.

lightenup.bsky.social•58 days ago

Don't tell the naysayers, please

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