Do Solar Panels on Farms Really Create a Food Security Issue?
Social media is full of memes claiming that solar panels shouldn’t be placed on farmland - usually accompanied by slogans like “you can’t eat electricity” or warnings that solar threatens food security. But how accurate is this? To be clear, we aren’t arguing that solar should be allowed on farmland without proper scrutiny, environmental checks, or good planning. The real issue this article tackles is the simplistic assumption that any solar development on agricultural land is taking food away from people. Let’s dig in and have a look at the evidence.
How Many Solar Panels Are There in the UK?
In 2024, ground‑mounted (not rooftop) solar farms were estimated to cover about 21,200 hectares, roughly 0.1% of all UK land [1].
Scientists at Lancaster University studied satellite images of the UK up to January 2024 to produce the most accurate assessment yet on how much land solar farms occupy. The research suggests between 15,580 and 17,364 hectares which is less than the UK government figure provided above. This represents around 0.06% to 0.07% of the total UK land area. [2]
The Government’s Solar Roadmap sets out different pathways for how much solar power the UK could build over the coming years. Two of the scenarios are the Current Policy (high end) and the Most Ambitious scenario. The Current Policy Scenario (High End) should see the UK reach around 45–47 GW of solar capacity by 2030. In the worst‑case calculation where every new solar installation is built on land rather than rooftops the total land required would be no more than 0.6% of the UK’s agricultural land or 0.4% of overall land. The Most Ambitious Scenario creates around 70GW of solar. This will consume more land, but the figure for land use still remains below the limits of 0.6% for farmland and 0.4% for overall land [3,4,5]
Put another way, the 0.4% of UK land for solar is less than the 0.49% taken up by UK golf courses [6].
There’s also solid global research showing that several crops grow better under solar panels. Shade‑tolerant vegetables like lettuce, cabbage and broccoli benefit from cooler temperatures and reduced water loss, often producing higher yields during hot summers [3]. Soft fruits such as strawberries and blueberries show similar gains, with less sun damage and more consistent moisture [3].
Pasture grasses also thrive under panels, creating better forage for livestock and improving biodiversity. And agrovoltaics isn’t limited to grazing animals: poultry farms in France use solar arrays to provide shade, improving welfare and reducing heat‑related losses [4].
Although agrovoltaics isn’t appropriate for all types of agriculture, it certainly makes sense to use it wherever possible.
It’s surprising how much farmland is not being used to grow food for people. In the book Clearing the Air, Hannah Ritchie notes that the United States dedicates 2.5% of its land – an area the size of the UK – to growing crops for bioethanol, which supplies just 10% of its petrol. If that same land were used for solar farms instead, the US could generate two to three times more electricity than the entire country consumes [1]. In other words, using farmland for solar can deliver far greater energy returns than growing crops for fuel.
So what does this look like in the UK? In 2024, 142,000 hectares of agricultural land were used to grow crops for bioenergy – fuel for transport, heating, or anaerobic digestion [2]. This represents 2.3% of all UK arable land, and it is vastly more than the farmland currently hosting solar panels (between 15,580 and 21,200 hectares).
For transport fuels specifically, UK farmers grew 35,000 hectares of wheat and 7,000 hectares of sugar beet, totalling 42,000 hectares dedicated to biofuels [2]. Using the same amount of land for solar generation would power vastly more electric vehicles than using crops to produce plant‑based petrol for internal combustion engines.
Inefficient Use of Food
Around 85% of all farmland is tied up in livestock and the crops grown to feed them [1]. Two thirds of the farmed area of the UK grows grass and not crops [2]. These figures demonstrate that animal agriculture dominates the UK landscape, while providing relatively little food in proportion to the land it occupies.
This imbalance matters. As the UK works to cut emissions, improve food security, and expand clean energy, we’re discovering that the biggest land opportunity lies in reducing our dependence on animal agriculture.
Wheat and barley grown to feed farmed animals in the UK uses 2 million hectares of land - 40 percent of the UK’s arable land area. Half of the UK's wheat harvest each year - equivalent to 11 billion loaves of bread - is being used to feed livestock [1]. These are crops we could be eating ourselves. By shifting diets toward plant‑based proteins, pulses, vegetables, and crops like oats for oat milk, we can redirect this land to produce food directly for people.
Much of the UK’s livestock sector sits on permanent grassland, which isn’t suitable for arable farming. But that doesn’t mean it’s wasted space. Grassland is ideal for solar farms with sheep grazing underneath.
To meet the UK’s 2035 solar targets [3], we need around 70,000–90,000 hectares of land. That’s less than 1% of what livestock occupies.
Even a small reduction in meat and dairy consumption would free up vast areas of land, far more than the UK needs for its entire solar rollout. This allows us to expand clean energy without asking people to completely give up meat or go vegan.
Food Waste
Food in the UK is wasted at every stage of the supply chain - from farms and factories to supermarkets, hospitality, and finally our homes. WRAP’s most recent national estimate covering 2021–2022 shows that 10.2 million tonnes of food are wasted each year across these sectors [1].
To put this in context, around 39 million tonnes of food are purchased for consumption in UK homes annually. Therefore, the total amount of food wasted across all sectors is roughly one quarter (25%) of all food bought for home [1].
WRAP’s earlier 2018 baseline was slightly lower, at 9.5 million tonnes of food waste. In that report, WRAP highlighted the scale of the problem by noting that the farmland required to grow the wasted food would be larger than the entire land area of Wales [2]. Since food waste has increased to 10.2 million tonnes, the land required today would be even greater.
No one expects food waste to fall to zero - and producing a surplus can help buffer poor harvest years - but the data shows that reducing waste is a far more effective strategy for food security than restricting solar development on farmland. In 2024, only 7,000 hectares of agricultural land were covered by solar panels, and half of that land remains in active agricultural use beneath the panels [3]. For scale, 7,000 hectares is equivalent to only about 19% of Sheffield’s land area, and is tiny compared with the Wales‑sized area of farmland effectively “lost” to food waste.
As stated earlier, the Most Ambitious solar scenario creates around 70GW of solar. And consumes 0.4% of overall land. This is less than 5% the size of Wales.
Extreme Weather
Shouldn’t Solar Be Exclusively on buildings?
Putting solar panels on buildings and car park canopies is highly desirable and we should do as much of it as possible, but there are practical limits.
Many buildings simply cannot take the weight of solar panels. Even when a roof is structurally capable, there is another major barrier in that the people who benefit from the electricity are often not the ones who own the building. In many cases, the building owner and the business operating inside it are different. The owner has little reason to invest in solar because they won’t directly use the electricity, and exporting it to the grid brings only limited financial return. Meanwhile, the business inside the building may want solar to cut its energy bills, but it cannot install panels on a roof it doesn’t own.
Large industrial roofs also tend to be more expensive to work on. Installing solar at height requires scaffolding, specialist access equipment, and more complex safety measures. Maintenance costs are higher too. By contrast, installing solar at ground level is faster, safer, and significantly cheaper, which is why solar farms can deliver electricity at some of the lowest costs of any energy source in the UK.
Another factor that determines where solar can be built is the availability of a suitable grid connection. A large ground‑mounted solar farm typically connects to the grid at a single point. By contrast, installing solar across many smaller buildings requires multiple grid connections, and there is currently a bottleneck for getting access to grid connections.
The UK routinely converts farmland into warehouses, distribution centres, retail parks, and roads yet solar panels installed on farmland are singled out as a threat to food production.
This doesn’t mean rooftop solar isn’t important - it is. But it does mean that rooftops alone cannot meet our energy needs, and limiting solar to buildings would make the transition slower, more expensive, and less reliable. Ground‑mounted solar is simply the most cost‑effective way to scale up clean energy quickly.
Social media is full of memes claiming that solar panels shouldn’t be placed on farmland - usually accompanied by slogans like “you can’t eat electricity” or warnings that solar threatens food security. But how accurate is this? To be clear, we aren’t arguing that solar should be allowed on farmland without proper scrutiny, environmental checks, or good planning. The real issue this article tackles is the simplistic assumption that any solar development on agricultural land is taking food away from people. Let’s dig in and have a look at the evidence.
 |
| Source: Pixabay.com |
How Many Solar Panels Are There in the UK?
In 2024, ground‑mounted (not rooftop) solar farms were estimated to cover about 21,200 hectares, roughly 0.1% of all UK land [1].
Scientists at Lancaster University studied satellite images of the UK up to January 2024 to produce the most accurate assessment yet on how much land solar farms occupy. The research suggests between 15,580 and 17,364 hectares which is less than the UK government figure provided above. This represents around 0.06% to 0.07% of the total UK land area. [2]
The Government’s Solar Roadmap sets out different pathways for how much solar power the UK could build over the coming years. Two of the scenarios are the Current Policy (high end) and the Most Ambitious scenario. The Current Policy Scenario (High End) should see the UK reach around 45–47 GW of solar capacity by 2030. In the worst‑case calculation where every new solar installation is built on land rather than rooftops the total land required would be no more than 0.6% of the UK’s agricultural land or 0.4% of overall land. The Most Ambitious Scenario creates around 70GW of solar. This will consume more land, but the figure for land use still remains below the limits of 0.6% for farmland and 0.4% for overall land [3,4,5]
Put another way, the 0.4% of UK land for solar is less than the 0.49% taken up by UK golf courses [6].
Harvesting Food and Sunlight
“Agrovoltaics” combines agriculture (food) with photovoltaics (solar power), allowing farmers to produce food and clean electricity from the same piece of land [1].
With the Peak District on Sheffield’s doorstep, it’s common to see green fields with sheep grazing. Now imagine those same fields with solar panels installed. The farmer still produces food and keeps the land in agricultural use, but also earns a reliable second income from the solar generation. For many farms, that extra revenue can be the difference between staying afloat and shutting the gates for good [2].
And it’s not just farmers who benefit. The animals do too. Solar panels create sheltered spaces that protect sheep from rain, wind and extreme heat [1]. At the time of writing (Aug 2026), the UK has already experienced six heatwaves, so shade isn’t a luxury; it’s essential for animal welfare.
“Agrovoltaics” combines agriculture (food) with photovoltaics (solar power), allowing farmers to produce food and clean electricity from the same piece of land [1].
With the Peak District on Sheffield’s doorstep, it’s common to see green fields with sheep grazing. Now imagine those same fields with solar panels installed. The farmer still produces food and keeps the land in agricultural use, but also earns a reliable second income from the solar generation. For many farms, that extra revenue can be the difference between staying afloat and shutting the gates for good [2].
And it’s not just farmers who benefit. The animals do too. Solar panels create sheltered spaces that protect sheep from rain, wind and extreme heat [1]. At the time of writing (Aug 2026), the UK has already experienced six heatwaves, so shade isn’t a luxury; it’s essential for animal welfare.
 |
| Picture Credit: Fährtenleser. Creative Commons CC‑Zero. |
There’s also solid global research showing that several crops grow better under solar panels. Shade‑tolerant vegetables like lettuce, cabbage and broccoli benefit from cooler temperatures and reduced water loss, often producing higher yields during hot summers [3]. Soft fruits such as strawberries and blueberries show similar gains, with less sun damage and more consistent moisture [3].
Pasture grasses also thrive under panels, creating better forage for livestock and improving biodiversity. And agrovoltaics isn’t limited to grazing animals: poultry farms in France use solar arrays to provide shade, improving welfare and reducing heat‑related losses [4].
Although agrovoltaics isn’t appropriate for all types of agriculture, it certainly makes sense to use it wherever possible.
 |
| Picture Credit: Lisamiri. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agri-PV-Anlage_Kressbronn.jpg |
Not All Food Is for Eating
It’s surprising how much farmland is not being used to grow food for people. In the book Clearing the Air, Hannah Ritchie notes that the United States dedicates 2.5% of its land – an area the size of the UK – to growing crops for bioethanol, which supplies just 10% of its petrol. If that same land were used for solar farms instead, the US could generate two to three times more electricity than the entire country consumes [1]. In other words, using farmland for solar can deliver far greater energy returns than growing crops for fuel.
 |
| Picture Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/gas-station-gas-pump-refuel-diesel-4978824/ |
So what does this look like in the UK? In 2024, 142,000 hectares of agricultural land were used to grow crops for bioenergy – fuel for transport, heating, or anaerobic digestion [2]. This represents 2.3% of all UK arable land, and it is vastly more than the farmland currently hosting solar panels (between 15,580 and 21,200 hectares).
For transport fuels specifically, UK farmers grew 35,000 hectares of wheat and 7,000 hectares of sugar beet, totalling 42,000 hectares dedicated to biofuels [2]. Using the same amount of land for solar generation would power vastly more electric vehicles than using crops to produce plant‑based petrol for internal combustion engines.
 |
| Picture Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/wheat-field-wheat-open-landscape-850318/ |
Inefficient Use of Food
Around 85% of all farmland is tied up in livestock and the crops grown to feed them [1]. Two thirds of the farmed area of the UK grows grass and not crops [2]. These figures demonstrate that animal agriculture dominates the UK landscape, while providing relatively little food in proportion to the land it occupies.
 |
| Picture Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/cow-cow-breton-cow-pie-black-4601520/ |
This imbalance matters. As the UK works to cut emissions, improve food security, and expand clean energy, we’re discovering that the biggest land opportunity lies in reducing our dependence on animal agriculture.
Wheat and barley grown to feed farmed animals in the UK uses 2 million hectares of land - 40 percent of the UK’s arable land area. Half of the UK's wheat harvest each year - equivalent to 11 billion loaves of bread - is being used to feed livestock [1]. These are crops we could be eating ourselves. By shifting diets toward plant‑based proteins, pulses, vegetables, and crops like oats for oat milk, we can redirect this land to produce food directly for people.
Much of the UK’s livestock sector sits on permanent grassland, which isn’t suitable for arable farming. But that doesn’t mean it’s wasted space. Grassland is ideal for solar farms with sheep grazing underneath.
To meet the UK’s 2035 solar targets [3], we need around 70,000–90,000 hectares of land. That’s less than 1% of what livestock occupies.
Even a small reduction in meat and dairy consumption would free up vast areas of land, far more than the UK needs for its entire solar rollout. This allows us to expand clean energy without asking people to completely give up meat or go vegan.
 |
| The unfragmented map brings together all the major land‑use types in the UK and our dependency on foreign land. The green areas show the impact animals have on land use. The map also shows the land consumed by golf courses. Solar would occupy less than this. |
Food Waste
Food in the UK is wasted at every stage of the supply chain - from farms and factories to supermarkets, hospitality, and finally our homes. WRAP’s most recent national estimate covering 2021–2022 shows that 10.2 million tonnes of food are wasted each year across these sectors [1].
To put this in context, around 39 million tonnes of food are purchased for consumption in UK homes annually. Therefore, the total amount of food wasted across all sectors is roughly one quarter (25%) of all food bought for home [1].
WRAP’s earlier 2018 baseline was slightly lower, at 9.5 million tonnes of food waste. In that report, WRAP highlighted the scale of the problem by noting that the farmland required to grow the wasted food would be larger than the entire land area of Wales [2]. Since food waste has increased to 10.2 million tonnes, the land required today would be even greater.
 |
| Picture Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/age-bacteria-bio-biology-bread-1238290 |
No one expects food waste to fall to zero - and producing a surplus can help buffer poor harvest years - but the data shows that reducing waste is a far more effective strategy for food security than restricting solar development on farmland. In 2024, only 7,000 hectares of agricultural land were covered by solar panels, and half of that land remains in active agricultural use beneath the panels [3]. For scale, 7,000 hectares is equivalent to only about 19% of Sheffield’s land area, and is tiny compared with the Wales‑sized area of farmland effectively “lost” to food waste.
As stated earlier, the Most Ambitious solar scenario creates around 70GW of solar. And consumes 0.4% of overall land. This is less than 5% the size of Wales.
Extreme Weather
The UK’s food system is highly exposed to climate change both domestically and internationally. The UK’s Met Office states that “The UK Climate Projections (UKCP) show us that the UK is likely to experience ‘hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters’, as well as an increase in extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall, periods of drought and heatwaves.” [1]
It is now August 2026 and over 70% of England is officially in drought after the driest July on record. Reservoir storage is just 69% of capacity, and 78% of rivers are below normal levels. Wheat yields are around 14% lower than expected, oat production has declined by at least 9%, and cereal and oilseed losses could reach 2.5 million tonnes [2]. It has been reported that 78 Livestock farmers were having to use their winter feed reserves while irrigation restrictions were reducing vegetable output, with some growers reporting broccoli yields declining by around half [2].
By contrast, at the start of 2026, farmers were struggling with too much rain. Waterlogged fields delayed planting, reduced germination, damaged early‑season crops and lost harvests.
The UK appears to be swinging between flood and drought, sometimes in the same year which is a pattern the Met Office says will intensify.
Some farmers are already adapting to climate change by planting different crop varieties and improving water storage facilities. Solar can help with adaptation as we’ve seen in the section about agrovoltaics, but ultimately, if the planet continues to warm, adaptation alone cannot protect food production in the UK and around the world.
Solar electricity is essential to tackling the climate crisis - not only because it cuts greenhouse‑gas emissions from fossil‑fuel power, but also because agrovoltaics help us adapt to the climate impacts that are already locked in, even if global emissions stopped tomorrow.
It is now August 2026 and over 70% of England is officially in drought after the driest July on record. Reservoir storage is just 69% of capacity, and 78% of rivers are below normal levels. Wheat yields are around 14% lower than expected, oat production has declined by at least 9%, and cereal and oilseed losses could reach 2.5 million tonnes [2]. It has been reported that 78 Livestock farmers were having to use their winter feed reserves while irrigation restrictions were reducing vegetable output, with some growers reporting broccoli yields declining by around half [2].
By contrast, at the start of 2026, farmers were struggling with too much rain. Waterlogged fields delayed planting, reduced germination, damaged early‑season crops and lost harvests.
The UK appears to be swinging between flood and drought, sometimes in the same year which is a pattern the Met Office says will intensify.
Some farmers are already adapting to climate change by planting different crop varieties and improving water storage facilities. Solar can help with adaptation as we’ve seen in the section about agrovoltaics, but ultimately, if the planet continues to warm, adaptation alone cannot protect food production in the UK and around the world.
Solar electricity is essential to tackling the climate crisis - not only because it cuts greenhouse‑gas emissions from fossil‑fuel power, but also because agrovoltaics help us adapt to the climate impacts that are already locked in, even if global emissions stopped tomorrow.
Electricity for Cooking, Processing and Storing Food
There is simply no point in growing food if we can’t collect, process, store or cook it. Electricity is essential in all of these stages.
Electricity underpins the safe storage of food in the UK - not just in supermarkets and warehouses, but in every home. Household fridges and freezers run 24/7 and typically use 200–500 kWh of electricity per year, making them one of the largest single sources of domestic energy consumption. Across the country, this adds up to a significant, continuous demand on the grid.
In supermarkets, chilled and frozen cabinets account for 40–60% of all electricity used in food retail [1], adding up to 3.28 TWh per year nationwide which is roughly 1% of total UK electricity demand [2]. Walk‑in chillers and freezers can each consume 15,000 - 40,000 kWh annually, making them one of the biggest operational costs for retailers. More than 60% of all food in the UK relies on this cold chain to stay safe and edible [3].
There doesn’t appear to be any data regarding the type of fuel used for all cooking appliances, but a survey in 2023 found that 48% of people cook on an electric hob [4]. This figure is likely to increase in the future as the UK switches to clean renewable electricity, such as solar, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Taken together, fridges at home, supermarket chillers, and industrial cold stores form a vast, always‑on system that keeps food safe long after it leaves the farm. Cooking and processing also increasingly rely on electricity as households and businesses move away from fossil fuels. This means food security isn’t just about growing crops — it depends on having reliable, affordable power to store, process and cook what we produce.
Electricity underpins the safe storage of food in the UK - not just in supermarkets and warehouses, but in every home. Household fridges and freezers run 24/7 and typically use 200–500 kWh of electricity per year, making them one of the largest single sources of domestic energy consumption. Across the country, this adds up to a significant, continuous demand on the grid.
In supermarkets, chilled and frozen cabinets account for 40–60% of all electricity used in food retail [1], adding up to 3.28 TWh per year nationwide which is roughly 1% of total UK electricity demand [2]. Walk‑in chillers and freezers can each consume 15,000 - 40,000 kWh annually, making them one of the biggest operational costs for retailers. More than 60% of all food in the UK relies on this cold chain to stay safe and edible [3].
There doesn’t appear to be any data regarding the type of fuel used for all cooking appliances, but a survey in 2023 found that 48% of people cook on an electric hob [4]. This figure is likely to increase in the future as the UK switches to clean renewable electricity, such as solar, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Taken together, fridges at home, supermarket chillers, and industrial cold stores form a vast, always‑on system that keeps food safe long after it leaves the farm. Cooking and processing also increasingly rely on electricity as households and businesses move away from fossil fuels. This means food security isn’t just about growing crops — it depends on having reliable, affordable power to store, process and cook what we produce.
 |
| Picture Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/frozen-food-supermarket-frozen-cold-1336013/ |
Shouldn’t Solar Be Exclusively on buildings?
Putting solar panels on buildings and car park canopies is highly desirable and we should do as much of it as possible, but there are practical limits.
Many buildings simply cannot take the weight of solar panels. Even when a roof is structurally capable, there is another major barrier in that the people who benefit from the electricity are often not the ones who own the building. In many cases, the building owner and the business operating inside it are different. The owner has little reason to invest in solar because they won’t directly use the electricity, and exporting it to the grid brings only limited financial return. Meanwhile, the business inside the building may want solar to cut its energy bills, but it cannot install panels on a roof it doesn’t own.
Large industrial roofs also tend to be more expensive to work on. Installing solar at height requires scaffolding, specialist access equipment, and more complex safety measures. Maintenance costs are higher too. By contrast, installing solar at ground level is faster, safer, and significantly cheaper, which is why solar farms can deliver electricity at some of the lowest costs of any energy source in the UK.
Another factor that determines where solar can be built is the availability of a suitable grid connection. A large ground‑mounted solar farm typically connects to the grid at a single point. By contrast, installing solar across many smaller buildings requires multiple grid connections, and there is currently a bottleneck for getting access to grid connections.
The UK routinely converts farmland into warehouses, distribution centres, retail parks, and roads yet solar panels installed on farmland are singled out as a threat to food production.
This doesn’t mean rooftop solar isn’t important - it is. But it does mean that rooftops alone cannot meet our energy needs, and limiting solar to buildings would make the transition slower, more expensive, and less reliable. Ground‑mounted solar is simply the most cost‑effective way to scale up clean energy quickly.
Summary
Although agrovoltaics won’t suit every farm, many could benefit from producing food and clean electricity side by side — with improved animal welfare and better growing conditions for crops. To make the most of our land, we need to think carefully about what we produce and shift towards more sustainable food systems. No one is expecting the whole country to go vegan or vegetarian, but reducing our consumption of meat and dairy is essential if we’re going to free up land, strengthen food security, and tackle both the nature and climate emergencies.
Moving away from land‑hungry biofuels and towards solar generation is a pragmatic step in the right direction. We also need to cut food waste and accelerate climate solutions so farmers face fewer extremes — from flooding to drought — and have more reliable conditions to grow food. The solar electricity generated on farms can also support the energy demands of food storage.
The UK must utilise solar electricity production on different land types. We must also install solar on buildings from homes to giant industrial warehouses and everything in between.
Although agrovoltaics won’t suit every farm, many could benefit from producing food and clean electricity side by side — with improved animal welfare and better growing conditions for crops. To make the most of our land, we need to think carefully about what we produce and shift towards more sustainable food systems. No one is expecting the whole country to go vegan or vegetarian, but reducing our consumption of meat and dairy is essential if we’re going to free up land, strengthen food security, and tackle both the nature and climate emergencies.
Moving away from land‑hungry biofuels and towards solar generation is a pragmatic step in the right direction. We also need to cut food waste and accelerate climate solutions so farmers face fewer extremes — from flooding to drought — and have more reliable conditions to grow food. The solar electricity generated on farms can also support the energy demands of food storage.
The UK must utilise solar electricity production on different land types. We must also install solar on buildings from homes to giant industrial warehouses and everything in between.
REFERENCES
How many solar panels are there in the UK?
[1] Land utilised by solar PV – September 2024
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6762f0efcdb5e64b69e307d5/Land_utilised_by_solar_PV__September_2024.pdf
[2] Researchers use satellite imagery to shed light on UK solar farm land use - Lancaster University
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/researchers-use-satellite-imagery-to-shed-light-on-uk-solar-farm-land-use
[3] SOLAR ROADMAP United Kingdom Powered by Solar
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d6e483e6b7941f4e00afb/35.87_DESNZ_UK_Solar_Roadmap_final.pdf
[4] Ground mounted solar energy plants: predicted land use
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ground-mounted-solar-energy-plants-predicted-land-use/ground-mounted-solar-energy-plants-predicted-land-use
[5] Annex I – Analytical methodologies
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68624dffe44db4975be00bf2/Solar_Roadmap-_Annexes.pdf
[6] Ferriby Sustainability – Land Use: Golf Courses vs Renewable Energy Sources (2026)
https://ferribysustainability.co.uk/2026/01/13/land-use-golf-courses-vs-renewable-energy-sources/
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6762f0efcdb5e64b69e307d5/Land_utilised_by_solar_PV__September_2024.pdf
[2] Researchers use satellite imagery to shed light on UK solar farm land use - Lancaster University
https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/news/researchers-use-satellite-imagery-to-shed-light-on-uk-solar-farm-land-use
[3] SOLAR ROADMAP United Kingdom Powered by Solar
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685d6e483e6b7941f4e00afb/35.87_DESNZ_UK_Solar_Roadmap_final.pdf
[4] Ground mounted solar energy plants: predicted land use
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ground-mounted-solar-energy-plants-predicted-land-use/ground-mounted-solar-energy-plants-predicted-land-use
[5] Annex I – Analytical methodologies
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68624dffe44db4975be00bf2/Solar_Roadmap-_Annexes.pdf
[6] Ferriby Sustainability – Land Use: Golf Courses vs Renewable Energy Sources (2026)
https://ferribysustainability.co.uk/2026/01/13/land-use-golf-courses-vs-renewable-energy-sources/
Harvesting Food and Sunlight
[1] Future Green Tech (2026). Agrivoltaics in 2026: Growing Crops Under Solar Panels.
https://futuregreentech.com/blog/agrivoltaics-2026-solar-and-farming-together
[2] ScienceDirect (2026). Agrivoltaics for sustainable land use: A critical review of synergistic and antagonistic effects.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124016482
[3] Agrivoltaic Research Links (2026). Agrivoltaic research and project links v2.
https://sustainablehockerton.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Agrivoltaic-research-and-project-links-v2-Jan-26.pdf
[4] Technique Solaire and INRAe tested solar aviaries in France farms
https://solarbytes.info/business-bytes/technique-solaire-inrae-solar-aviaries-study-france-poultry-behavior-9509356
https://futuregreentech.com/blog/agrivoltaics-2026-solar-and-farming-together
[2] ScienceDirect (2026). Agrivoltaics for sustainable land use: A critical review of synergistic and antagonistic effects.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124016482
[3] Agrivoltaic Research Links (2026). Agrivoltaic research and project links v2.
https://sustainablehockerton.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Agrivoltaic-research-and-project-links-v2-Jan-26.pdf
[4] Technique Solaire and INRAe tested solar aviaries in France farms
https://solarbytes.info/business-bytes/technique-solaire-inrae-solar-aviaries-study-france-poultry-behavior-9509356
Not all food is for eating
[1] Hannah Ritchie (2024). Clearing the Air
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/462676/clearing-the-air-by-ritchie-hannah/9781529939415
[2] Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2024). Bioenergy Crops in England and the UK: 2008–2024.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2024/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2024
[2] Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2024). Bioenergy Crops in England and the UK: 2008–2024.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2024/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2024
Inefficient use of Food
[1] Feed humans before livestock - WWF
https://theecologist.org/2022/jul/04/feed-humans-livestock-wwf
[2] Land Smart by Tom Heap
https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/land-smart/
[3]Factsheet Solar Farms and Agricultural Land June 2024
https://solarenergyuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FactSheet-Solar-Farms-and-Agricultural-Land-2024.pdf
https://theecologist.org/2022/jul/04/feed-humans-livestock-wwf
[2] Land Smart by Tom Heap
https://atlantic-books.co.uk/book/land-smart/
[3]Factsheet Solar Farms and Agricultural Land June 2024
https://solarenergyuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FactSheet-Solar-Farms-and-Agricultural-Land-2024.pdf
Food Waste
[1]WRAP UK Food Waste & Food Surplus – Key Facts updated: July 2025
https://www.publicsectorcatering.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachment/news/Food-Waste-and-Food-Surplus-Key-Facts-July-2025.pdf
[2]Courtauld Commitment Milestone Progress Report
https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/courtauld-commitment-milestone-progress-report
[3]Farming evidence - key statistics (accessible version)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-evidence-pack-a-high-level-overview-of-the-uk-agricultural-industry/farming-evidence-key-statistics-accessible-version
https://www.publicsectorcatering.co.uk/sites/default/files/attachment/news/Food-Waste-and-Food-Surplus-Key-Facts-July-2025.pdf
[2]Courtauld Commitment Milestone Progress Report
https://www.wrap.ngo/resources/report/courtauld-commitment-milestone-progress-report
[3]Farming evidence - key statistics (accessible version)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farming-evidence-pack-a-high-level-overview-of-the-uk-agricultural-industry/farming-evidence-key-statistics-accessible-version
Extreme Weather
[1] Food, Farming and Natural Environment Climate Service - Met Office
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/government/food-farming-and-natural-environment-climate-service
[2] The UK drought is a warning: Climate change is a food and public health emergency
https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100609
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/government/food-farming-and-natural-environment-climate-service
[2] The UK drought is a warning: Climate change is a food and public health emergency
https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100609
Electricity for Cooking, Processing and Storing Food
[1]Cold Chain Energy: What Food Retailers Pay to Keep the Lights On
https://www.telnergy.uk/insights/cold-chain-energy-food-retail-refrigeration
[2]Quantifying Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions from Retail Refrigeration in the UK
https://researchportal.lsbu.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/11010633/Paper%201058%20-%20Energy%20Use%20and%20Emissions%20from%20Retail%20Refrigeration%20in%20the%20UK%20(revised).pdf?utm_source=copilot.com
[3]Energy Usage in the Industrial Refrigeration Sector:Food, Drink, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Refrigeration
https://ior.org.uk/public/downloads/KjpqV/6Feb25_Cotter&Marques.pdf
[4] UK Consumer Survey Results Cooking Report Authored by Opinium May 2023.
https://www.clasp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/UK-Consumer-Survey-Results-Cooking.pdf?utm_source=copilot.com
https://www.telnergy.uk/insights/cold-chain-energy-food-retail-refrigeration
[2]Quantifying Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions from Retail Refrigeration in the UK
https://researchportal.lsbu.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/11010633/Paper%201058%20-%20Energy%20Use%20and%20Emissions%20from%20Retail%20Refrigeration%20in%20the%20UK%20(revised).pdf?utm_source=copilot.com
[3]Energy Usage in the Industrial Refrigeration Sector:Food, Drink, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Refrigeration
https://ior.org.uk/public/downloads/KjpqV/6Feb25_Cotter&Marques.pdf
[4] UK Consumer Survey Results Cooking Report Authored by Opinium May 2023.
https://www.clasp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/UK-Consumer-Survey-Results-Cooking.pdf?utm_source=copilot.com