At Smartly Energy, commercial solar is our speciality. As the UK aims for a greener future, solar farms are becoming important. They play a key role in the country’s renewable energy efforts, and we’re here to help you get on board.
Solar farms, or solar parks, are big setups of solar panels. They are made to catch sunlight and turn it into electricity. Solar farms are different from rooftop solar panels, they play a completely different role in the solar industry,
While rooftop panels serve individual homes or businesses, community solar farms send electricity directly to the national grid. This power then supplies thousands of homes and businesses across the UK.
It’s clear that solar parks can harness incredible power, but how? At the heart of every solar farm are photovoltaic PV panels that absorb sunlight and convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. This DC electricity is changed into alternating current (AC) by inverters.
This, in short, makes it work with the UK’s power grid. The generated electricity is either used immediately or stored in batteries for later use, ensuring a consistent power supply even during cloudy days or nighttime.
Typically, solar farms will feed into the electrical grid, distributing their energy to customers across a specific region. They are an excellent way to encourage sustainable energy production and an important component of the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Solar farms provide a clean, inexhaustible energy source, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Landowners can lease their land for solar parks, generating a steady income through solar generation. Additionally, the construction and maintenance of solar farms create job opportunities in local communities.
By producing electricity domestically, the UK can reduce its dependence on imported energy, enhancing national energy security.
Solar farms contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, playing a vital role in combating climate change
Choosing the right location is paramount. Ideal sites are flat, unobstructed areas with maximum sun exposure. While brownfield sites are preferred, agricultural lands are also considered, provided they don't compromise food production. In fact, some solar farms in the UK are designed to coexist with agriculture, allowing for activities like sheep grazing beneath the panels.
Proximity to existing power lines and substations is crucial to minimise transmission losses and infrastructure costs. Early engagement with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) ensures a smoother connection process.
Comprehensive environmental assessments are conducted to ensure minimal disruption to local ecosystems. Measures are taken to protect wildlife habitats, and in many cases, solar farms have been found to enhance biodiversity by providing shelter for various species.
In the UK, solar farms below 50 MW require planning permission from local authorities, while those above this threshold are classified as Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) and need approval from the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Recent updates to the National Planning Policy Framework emphasise the importance of using previously developed or non-agricultural land for such projects.
Once the design and planning phases are complete, the Smartly installation process begins:
Let’s look ahead; where do solar parks stand in the future of the UK? The UK government has set ambitious targets to increase renewable energy production, with solar farms playing a central role in achieving these goals. Advancements in technology, such as improved panel efficiency, total capacity and energy storage solutions, are making solar parks more viable and cost-effective.
As the nation continues its transition to a low-carbon economy, the importance of well-designed and efficiently installed solar farms cannot be overstated.
Solar farms undeniably take up plenty of space – but they don’t spoil their surroundings. In fact, quite the opposite. Beyond their role in renewable energy generation, solar farms in the UK are increasingly recognised for their positive impact on local biodiversity. The land beneath and around solar panels often remains undisturbed, creating a haven for various plant and animal species. This environment supports the growth of wildflowers and grasses, which in turn attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, contributing to the health of local ecosystems.
The spaces between solar panel rows can serve as grazing areas for small livestock, such as sheep, facilitating a harmonious blend of energy production and agricultural use. This dual-purpose approach not only maximises land utility but also fosters a symbiotic relationship between renewable energy initiatives and traditional farming practices.
Strategic planning and environmental assessments ensure that solar farms are designed with ecological considerations in mind. By incorporating features like wildlife corridors and maintaining native vegetation, these installations can enhance habitat connectivity and support biodiversity conservation efforts.
Shotwick Solar Park in Deeside, North Wales, proves just how powerful solar farming can be when it’s done right. While your business might not need 250 acres of panels, there’s plenty to take away from their success.
Shotwick Solar Park generates around 68,900 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity every year. That’s enough to power over 13,800 homes annually. It’s proof that large-scale PV solar farms can deliver reliable, renewable energy at scale.
The solar farm powers a nearby paper mill through a direct connection. That means a huge slice of the mill’s energy is generated on-site – clean, cost-effective, and stable even when market prices fluctuate.
By running on solar, the mill avoids around 24,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every year. That’s a huge win for the environment – and for businesses serious about hitting net-zero targets.
At Smartly, we take the same smart thinking behind projects like Shotwick and scale it to suit your land, your energy needs, and your goals.
Whether you’ve got underused land, a car park, or open space near your facility, we can help you:
You don’t need hundreds of acres to make solar farming work for you. You just need the right team behind you.
It depends on the size of the system you want to install, but as a guide, a 1 MW solar farm typically requires around 4–5 acres of land. Solar farms UK-wide are often developed on unused or lower-grade agricultural land, and many can be designed to allow for dual use – like grazing livestock alongside solar panels.
Yes, most solar farms in the UK will require planning permission from your local planning authority. Projects over 50 MW will also need national approval. At Smartly, we support you through the full process – handling permissions, liaising with DNOs, and ensuring your project stays compliant from start to finish.
From initial feasibility studies to full commissioning, a solar parks project typically takes between 6 to 18 months. Timelines vary based on site conditions, planning approvals, and grid connection availability. Once construction starts, the actual installation of a PV solar farm usually takes just a few months.
We’re more than just installers – we’re renewable energy consultants. At Smartly, we help you design a bespoke solar farm setup that works for your land, goals, and budget. Whether it’s a smaller rural system or a multi-megawatt solar panel installation, we provide expert guidance, quality technology, and full end-to-end service from planning to grid connection.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need assistance in regard to our solar power options, whether this is solar power tiles, solar panels, solar battery storage or integrated solar roofs. Our customer care team is more than happy to help with your queries.
If you need assistance right away, then feel free to use the ‘chat’ function at the bottom right corner of the page.