Most countries are ramping up their renewable energy sector. More and more solar panels are popping up, often covering land that was used for farming purposes. As solar panels stretch across former farmland, questions arise about their impact on biodiversity. Are these energy hubs disrupting wildlife habitats or, with the right management, could they serve as sanctuaries for declining populations?
A recent study published by researchers from the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science and the University of Cambridge has found that solar farms, particularly those designed with nature in mind, can enhance bird diversity and abundance — offering a surprising win-win for both renewable energy and wildlife conservation.
“Our study shows that if you manage solar energy production in a certain way, not only are you providing clean energy but benefitting biodiversity,” said Dr. Catherine Waite, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, and co-author of the study.
A Surprising Biodiversity Win
The researchers focused on six solar farms in England’s south-eastern Fenlands, a region of former marshland, now dominated by arable agriculture. The area is traditionally home to many birds, but their numbers have been plummeting due to habitat loss and intensive farming. To assess how solar farms impact bird populations, the team conducted a bird survey, recording species and individuals within and around these sites.
They categorized solar farms into two types based on management:
- Simple habitat solar farms: Managed intensively with frequent mowing or grazing, resulting in short vegetation and limited structural diversity.
- Mixed habitat solar farms: Managed with biodiversity in mind, featuring taller grasses, wildflowers, and woody boundaries such as hedgerows.
The researchers then compared these solar farms with nearby arable land. The goal was to determine whether solar farms could provide better bird habitats than the surrounding farmland and how different management styles influenced bird life.
The results were striking. Overall, solar farms supported greater bird abundance and species richness than arable farmland. However, this benefit was largely driven by those with more diverse habitats.
Overall, mixed habitat solar farms hosted an average of 31.5 birds with 13.5 per 4 hectares. Meanwhile, simple solar farms had around 17 birds and just 5.3 species. Arable farmland performed the worst, with 11.9 birds and 5.5 species. Basically, mixed habitat solar farms are almost three times better than arable farmland for bird biodiversity.
Why Are Birds Thriving in Some Solar Farms?
The key factor seems to be habitat complexity. In simple habitat solar farms, frequent mowing or grazing results in landscapes that closely resemble arable fields — bare and uniform, offering little food or shelter. In contrast, mixed habitat solar farms introduce variety: taller grasses provide cover, wildflowers attract insects, and hedgerows offer perching and nesting sites.
The presence of woody vegetation in particular made a difference, attracting both farmland birds and woodland generalists. Many bird species rely on structural diversity in their environment, and solar farms designed with biodiversity in mind can mimic natural habitats better than intensive farmland.
The elephant in the room is that agriculture is also very bad for the environment. It’s not that solar panels are better than leaving natural areas untamed, it’s that they’re better than agriculture. This is good news because we’re going to need a lot more renewable energy.
While this study focused on birds, its findings align with broader research on solar farms’ ecological impacts. Other studies have shown that solar farms managed for biodiversity can support pollinators like bees, creating thriving wildflower meadows within energy developments.
How to Make Solar Panels Wildlife-Friendly
The transition to renewable energy is essential for combating climate change. However, we shouldn’t neglect other consequences for nature. This study provides hope that solar farms, when managed correctly, can enhance biodiversity rather than diminish it.
Delivering a future that safeguards nature, tackles climate change, ensures food security and resilient farm businesses, and enables sustainable development is the only sensible path,” said RSPB Chief Executive Beccy Speight. “This research shows that it is possible to balance competing needs.”
Based on their findings, the researchers suggest several ways to make solar farms more wildlife-friendly:
- Reduce mowing and grazing frequency – Allowing vegetation to grow taller supports insects and provides better cover for birds.
- Introduce wildflower-rich areas – This increases food availability for insect-eating birds.
- Incorporate hedgerows or tree lines – These features offer nesting and perching opportunities.
- Plan solar farms with biodiversity in mind – Site selection should consider proximity to existing habitats to create ecological corridors.
Even existing solar panels could be retrofitted with some of these measures, but it’s particularly important for new solar fields to consider such aspects.
As more farmland is converted into solar energy sites, integrating wildlife-friendly practices could turn them into ecological assets. The findings suggest that with smart design, solar farms could not only power homes but also provide a lifeline for struggling bird populations — a vision of the future where clean energy and conservation go hand in hand. Speight concludes:
“We need a strategic and spatial approach to planning for renewable energy to ensure that solar farms are built in areas of low risk for nature and where we can deliver on our nature recovery targets alongside our net zero targets.”
Journal Reference: Joshua P. Copping et al, Solar farm management influences breeding bird responses in an arable-dominated landscape, Bird Study (2025). DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2025.2450392
