Most of us have seen solar farms in the UK; typically large fields with solar panels angled towards the sky. But there are various different types of solar farms to know about. Let’s take a closer look.
What are the different types of solar farms?
Solar farms are different from the types of domestic solar PV systems installed by companies specialising in residential solar panel installation Clevedon, such as https://redbridgeandsons.co.uk/solar-pv-panels/solar-panel-installation-clevedon. When you see large-scale solar farms, they tend to be commercial in scale.
Utility solar panel fields
These are the very large solar panel fields which are usually owned by energy firms, but which can also be privately owned, usually by landowners themselves. These can be controversial, as farmland turned over to solar farms can have a negative effect on national food production.
These huge areas of land generate megawatts of clean energy, generating power for the national grid that is then distributed across the region.
Community solar farms
These are smaller-scale solar farms, and are usually owned by businesses or neighbourhoods for local use. Businesses or individuals buy a share of the farm’s local capacity and then receive credits on their electricity bill for the generated power. This makes community solar a great option for people who don’t have their own roof space for solar PV.
Company-based solar farms
Some companies will also develop their own on-site solar farms to generate enough power for their entire operation, boosting their environmental credentials and increasing energy security of supply. This ensures that they will always have energy without interruption, can manage their costs more reliably, and have a better environmental record for their sustainability strategies.
These larger-scale solar farms help to boost the UK’s transition to a clean and green low-carbon economy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, especially when combined with cutting-edge battery solutions. This makes them a great choice for private and public investors alike. Expect to see increasing numbers of these solar farms across the country in the coming years, as the government continues to incentivise their development.