Support Steeraway and New Works Solar Farms

05/04/2026

Another little walk round the site on Easter Sunday to see how work is progressing. I must admit, I'm very impressed by the progress in the 2 weeks since I last visited.

22/03/2026

I went for a little Sunday morning stroll around the site today. Things are moving on a pace.

17/03/2026

05/03/2025

A survey of solar farms in southern England revealed surprisingly rich habitat for birds.

02/03/2025

https://www.facebook.com/100064582334163/posts/1012241904271878/

A new study published in Environmental Research Communications reveals a surprising land-use disparity: globally, more land is dedicated to golf courses than to wind or solar energy projects. While renewable energy developments often face criticism for their land requirements, the research shows that countries like the U.S. and U.K. allocate significantly more space to golf—an activity serving a relatively small, affluent population.

The study estimates that in the top 10 countries with the most golf courses, converting an equivalent area to solar and wind energy could generate up to 842 GW of solar power and 659 GW of wind capacity—far exceeding current installations in many cases. This finding raises important questions about land-use priorities, especially given the high water and chemical demands of golf courses compared to the environmental benefits of renewable energy.

Lead author Dr. Jann Weinand emphasizes that the study doesn’t call for eliminating golf courses but rather challenges policymakers to reconsider how land is allocated.

26/01/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1QLHRYcGLN/

Rapid reductions in the price of solar panels mean they are starting to appear in unexpected places, from balconies to motorway embankments. Now, researchers say they could play the role of hedgerows in farm fields, with double-facing solar panels generating power while acting as windbreaks for crops and livestock.

Farmers are already installing solar panels, often positioning tilted arrays over crops or allowing sheep to graze between panels. But such installations, known as agrovoltaics, can lead to excessive shading of plants or limit the land available for food production.

Marta Victoria at Aarhus University in Denmark says one solution could be to place two-sided panels in vertical rows in fields.

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2464397-farms-can-install-vertical-solar-panels-without-reducing-crop-yields/

Image: Knoblauch GmbH/Next2Sun

16/11/2024

There's more to agrivoltaics than sheep

19/09/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/fTm8Z8zhdiSypQ9J/

New research from Spain reveals that stricter environmental impact assessments of large scale PV plants contrasts with smaller solar parks, which are not subject to the same degree of restrictions. The review also highlighted the need for more cumulative and synergistic environmental impact assessme...

31/08/2024

While plans to build other solar farms in the county face opposition, residents and councillors supported the latest project near Radcliffe-on-Trent.

29/08/2024

https://www.facebook.com/share/33FmCYWo4AaHdQYc/

Trinasolar has successfully begun commercial operations at a new agri-voltaic solar project in Japan that combines solar modules with a yam crop that thrives in the shade.

14/08/2024