Solar Farms Can Be a Key to Preserving the Gwent Levels' Biodiversity

Strategic Insights -

Well-designed solar projects, such as the Craig Y Perthi scheme, can provide vital support to the region's biodiversity, addressing the root causes of 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 already reshaping the UK's environment through extreme weather events, such as droughts and record-breaking rainfall. In contrast, solar farms, when carefully planned and managed, offer a powerful opportunity to restore biodiversity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Gwent Levels face two major threats: climate change and intensive farming practices, which can damage the very ecosystems that make the area a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
  • Solar farms, when carefully planned and managed, can offer a powerful opportunity to restore biodiversity, replacing low-diversity monocultures with rich habitats free from chemicals and tailored to the needs of wildlife.
  • Recent studies from Lancaster University and Cambridge University (in partnership with the RSPB) confirm that solar farms can significantly boost populations of pollinators and farmland birds compared to nearby arable plots.
  • The Craig Y Perthi scheme, a 99.9MW solar farm, includes over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows, planted with species such as red clover and bird's-foot trefoil to support the native Shrill Carder Bee and other vital pollinators associated with the Gwent Levels SSSI.
  • Tree and hedgerow planting is another key feature of the Craig Y Perthi scheme, with over 11.3km of new hedgerows enhancing habitat connectivity for bats and birds while utilizing existing farm gates for access to minimize disruption to existing hedging on-site.
  • Monitoring from the nearby Llanwern solar farm has shown some encouraging results, enabling adaptive land management strategies that are improving outcomes for invertebrates - an essential component of the SSSI's ecological value.
  • Concerns over water pollution linked to solar installations have been addressed, with monitoring showing no evidence that nearby water quality issues were caused by the solar farm.
  • The Welsh Government has commissioned a desktop assessment of existing development in the levels, which provided further food for thought on the potential benefits of solar farms for biodiversity.
  • Robin Johnson, a trained ecologist and a member of the Chartered Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management, emphasizes the benefits of solar farms for biodiversity, stating, "It's simply not accurate to label solar farms as inherently harmful to the Gwent Levels."

Statistics:

  • Over 129 acres of permanent wildflower meadows will be planted in the Craig Y Perthi scheme, equivalent to 81 football pitches.
  • The scheme will include over 11.3km of new hedgerows, enhancing habitat connectivity for bats and birds.
  • The Craig Y Perthi scheme will generate enough affordable, renewable energy to meet the equivalent needs of around 45,374 Welsh homes per annum.
  • The scheme will save over 3,180,000 tonnes of CO2 in the process, equivalent to planting over 52 million trees.
  • Since 1967, UK lapwing numbers have dropped by 55% (RSPB).
  • Between 2021 and 2024, lapwing numbers fell by 62% in the area proposed for the Craig Y Perthi site.

Sources:

  • Blaydes et al (2024); New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies (Lancaster University)
  • Copping et al (2025); Solar farms managed for nature can boost bird numbers and biodiversity (Cambridge University and RSPB)
  • Applicant's Further Information, Craig Y Perthi Solar Farm (DNS/3279787) (May 2025) (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales)
  • RSPB (2023); Lapwing advice for farmers
  • US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 'Greenhouse Gas Equivalency Calculator' 2023
  • Johnson, R. (2025); Testimony on the benefits of solar farms for biodiversity (RWE)