Solar Farms as a Biodiversity Solution: Challenges and Opportunities in the Gwent Levels

Strategic Insights -

Well-designed solar projects can offer vital support to the region's biodiversity, addressing ecological decline while enhancing the natural landscape. The Gwent Levels, a unique and historically rich wetland landscape, faces two major threats: climate change and intensive farming practices. Climate change is reshaping the UK's environment through extreme weather events, while intensive farming methods can damage ecosystems and reduce biodiversity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Gwent Levels are threatened by climate change and intensive farming practices, which can damage ecosystems and reduce biodiversity.
  • Solar farms, when carefully planned and managed, can offer a powerful opportunity to restore biodiversity, including the creation of permanent wildflower meadows and tree planting.
  • The Craig Y Perthi project, a 99.9MW solar farm proposed on poor-quality farmland, includes over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows and 11.3km of new hedgerows to enhance habitat connectivity for bats and birds.
  • Recent studies confirm that solar farms can significantly boost populations of pollinators and farmland birds compared to nearby arable plots.
  • The proposed project will generate enough affordable, renewable energy to meet the equivalent needs of around 45,374 Welsh homes per annum, saving over 3,180,000 tonnes of CO2.
  • Adaptive land management strategies are already improving outcomes for invertebrates in the nearby Llanwern solar farm.
  • Concerns over water pollution linked to solar installations have been addressed, with monitoring showing no evidence of water quality issues caused by the solar farm.

Statistics:

  • 62% decline in lapwing numbers in the area proposed for the Craig Y Perthi site between 2021 and 2024.
  • 55% decline in UK lapwing numbers since 1967.
  • 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows equivalent to 81 football pitches cultivated at Craig Y Perthi.
  • 11.3km of new hedgerows included in the Craig Y Perthi scheme.
  • 3,180,000 tonnes of CO2 saved per annum through the generation of renewable energy at Craig Y Perthi.
  • Equivalent to planting over 52 million trees.
  • Welsh Government commissioned a desktop assessment of existing development in the levels.

Sources:

  • (2024) New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies
  • (2025) Solar farms managed for nature can boost bird numbers and biodiversity
  • Applicant's Further Information, Craig Y Perthi Solar Farm (DNS/3279787) (May 2025)
  • RSPB, https://www.rspb.org.uk/
  • US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 'Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator' 2023