Shropshire Climate Action: Climate & Nature News for Shropshire Telford & Wrekin Our newsletter Sign up to receive the monthly Shropshire Climate Action newsletter for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin below. Read or download our newsletters (and past copies of the South Shropshire Climate Action newsletter as pdfs) or sign up to get them direct to your Inbox. Read our newsletters Sign up for our newsletters Latest News 1 Nov 2025 South Shropshire MP supports the repeal of the Climate Change Act 2008 Our response to local criticism of the Act Read More 24 Oct 2025 Have Your Say: Help shape the future of EV charging in Telford and Wrekin Survey now open Read More 18 Oct 2025 Shropshire Hosts Record-Breaking Repair Cafe 'The Big Mend' Celebrating International Repair Day with repairers from across Shropshire and Telford Read More 17 Oct 2025 Get ready for the county-wide Green Open Homes event this November Book your viewing of energy efficient homes across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and beyond Read More 1 Oct 2025 Bishop’s Castle's Community Heat & Wind Network project update The good and the bad news Read More 1 Sept 2025 Shaping careers and growing the economy. Oh! And tackling climate change! A young climate activist's perspective Read More 30 Aug 2025 Middle Marches Community Land Trust launches White Grit Meadows Appeal Preserving unique habitats for wildlife in the Marches Read More 1 Aug 2025 Want to make your home more energy efficient? Find out what support is available from Marches Energy Agency Read More 26 Jul 2025 Reflections on the new National Food Strategy for Shropshire Shropshire Good Food Partnership consider if this is the solution we have been waiting for Read More 17 Jul 2025 Launch of the second share offer by Shropshire and Telford Community Energy Investment in Tremlowes Solar Farm in North Shropshire off to a good start! Read More 1 Jul 2025 Clean air for Shropshire Tips on how you can help improve air quality including how to tackle engine idling Read More 21 Jun 2025 Local groups meet with Julia Buckley (Labour MP for Shrewsbury & Atcham) Q&A focused on how we can better protect Nature and take climate action Read More 17 Jun 2025 Shropshire Council's approval of 200,000-bird intensive poultry unit overturned by High Court New environmental considerations for planning authorities Read More 7 Jun 2025 Big Green Week (7-15th June) comes to Shropshire Local library plays host to diverse range of climate activities Read More 19 May 2025 Interesting conversations at Morville Annual Community event Renewable energy popular with farmers, and a new argument for heat pumps? Read More 1 May 2025 Having climate conversations with the people you know We are the 89% who want their Governments to take action on climate Read More 10 Apr 2025 Celebration of South Shropshire Climate Action’s Achievements End of Project event held at the Discovery Centre, Craven Arms on 10th April 2025 Read More 2 Apr 2025 Another successful year for CPRE Shropshire's Hedgerow Heros project 6 kilometres of new hedgerow planted across Shropshire Read More 1 Apr 2025 Celebrating South Shropshire Climate Action ... and the next steps for Shropshire Climate Action Read More 31 Mar 2025 Green Shropshire Xchange A decade of achievement Read More

< Back Shropshire Hosts Record-Breaking Repair Cafe 'The Big Mend' Pete Martin 18 Oct 2025 Celebrating International Repair Day with repairers from across Shropshire and Telford Shrewsbury celebrated International Repair Day in spectacular fashion on Saturday, October 18 with the largest-ever Repair Café event in the town as well as the county: "The Big Mend." Organised by the dedicated Shrewsbury Repair Café volunteers, in collaboration with fellow Repair Cafés from across Shropshire (including Bayston Hill, Oswestry, Pontesbury, Stretton, Telford and Wem) and sponsored by Veolia, the event was a massive success, breathing new life into a vast array of broken household items and championing the value of sustainability and reuse. Held at Prestfelde School in Shrewsbury, the event saw an unprecedented turnout. Over 137 items were brought in by the public—far exceeding all other previous records of any repair café in Shropshire. Skilled volunteer "fixers" and "menders" worked tirelessly across various repair stations, tackling everything from the modern to the antique. The eclectic mix of items repaired or assessed included: • Faulty electrical items (like vacuum cleaners and hair straighteners) • Mechanical items • Broken clocks • Torn clothing and textiles • Damaged ornaments and toys (including a vintage Bagatelle pinball machine) Most items were successfully mended on the spot, preventing them from heading straight to landfill and saving their owners the cost of replacement. For those items requiring more complicated repairs, volunteers offered advice or took them away for further attention. The spirit of "The Big Mend" went beyond simple repairs. It was a true community celebration of the Repair Café movement's core values: • Waste Reduction: the event was a practical step against the 'throwaway' culture, keeping valuable resources in use and out of landfill. • Skill Sharing: people could watch or join in the repairs, learning valuable maintenance and fixing skills that are increasingly being lost in modern society. • Cost Saving: by repairing items for free, the event offered a practical solution to the rising cost of living. In addition to the repair stations, experts from Halls Fine Art Auctioneers were on hand to offer free valuations for items like jewellery, silver, ceramics, and militaria, adding an extra layer of engagement for attendees. The event's popularity was clear, with attendees flocking to Prestfelde School throughout the day. The vibrant atmosphere was noted by volunteers, with one repairer stating that the enthusiasm and happiness in the room was "wonderful." The importance of "The Big Mend" was acknowledged by local officials, with Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley, Town Mayor Alex Wagner, and Vice Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire Jenny Wynn OBE all in attendance to show their support for the sustainability initiative. "The Big Mend" successfully made its mark, not just as the biggest Repair Café event in the area, but as a shining example of community action and collective commitment to a more sustainable future. The success of the day reinforced the vital role that Shropshire’s Repair Cafés play in local efforts to tackle both the cost of living and climate crisis. Previous Next

< Back South Shropshire MP supports the repeal of the Climate Change Act 2008 Chris Deaves 1 Nov 2025 Our response to local criticism of the Act Stuart Anderson, MP for South Shropshire, has recently stated his intention to support the repeal of the 2008 Climate Change Act. Below is the response (abridged), sent on behalf of Shropshire Climate Action and local groups in the South Shropshire constituency: “We… strongly support the 2008 Climate Change Act and are very concerned to learn that you wish to see the Act repealed. We believe that the political consensus…and the implementation of the Act have enabled the UK to make significant progress over the last 17 years on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Act's robust, legally binding framework, and the independent advisory body it established in the Climate Change Committee (CCC), have proven particularly effective. The UK has been widely recognised for its climate leadership internationally, increasing its influence and leverage in international negotiations… Repealing the Act would cause significant damage to the UK’s reputation at home and abroad, jeopardising confidence and investment in the UK’s vibrant green economy… (which) is growing at three times the rate of the wider economy. Repealing the Act would also undermine the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution [NDC] to the Paris agreement… The CCC 2025 report and the recent report in advance on the state of Climate action worldwide…explain the urgency of accelerating action. As far as we understand it, your desire to repeal the Act doesn’t appear to be premised on any scientific data that challenges either the Climate Change Committee’s report nor the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 75% of the UK population want to see the Government taking action on Climate Change. Any retreat from our Climate commitments by political parties will carry grave consequences—undermining our national credibility, damaging our international standing, and betraying the trust of future generations.” Our chair, Chris Deaves, adds his thoughts: “I studied astronomy at university. In my studies I saw no evidence of space fleets arranging with tons of clean water, air, food or life forms. The earth is finite and so are its resources. It is ironic that Shropshire contains the cause and solution to these issues. Ironbridge is the birthplace of the industrial revolution and its consequences, not least of which is idealisation of growth based on increasing output, which cannot be maintained for ever. On the escalator from the Shrewsbury bus station is a picture of Charles Darwin and a quote: “It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” Seeking to retain obsolete concepts of growth (and its concomitant evil of unfair resource distribution) is a fearful and unthinking response to the need for change and a cheap hook on which to hang short-term populist policy. Improving the cost of living, resource inequality and better public engagement in governance require evolution, not a nostalgic adherence to old policies. The increasing ‘undemocratic’ objections we see around us are signs of democratic evolution in progress by the only routes open and policy makers would do well to remember that all the principles of evolution apply remorselessly to us all.” Previous Next

Shropshire Climate Action: Newsletters Newsletters Sign up to receive the monthly Shropshire Climate Action newsletter for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin here . To read our current and past editions (including previous editions of the South Shropshire Climate Action newsletter going back to September 2022) click on a cover to open the pdf version. To join Shropshire Climate Action's newsletter and social media team please email: contact@shropshireclimateaction.org November 2025 Click here October 2025 Click here September 2025 Click here August 2025 Click here July 2025 Click here June 2025 Click here May 2025 Click here April 2025 Click here March 2025 Click here February 2025 Click here December 2024 Click here November 2024 Click here October 2024 Click here September 2024 Click here August 2024 Click here July 2024 Click here June 2024 Click here May 2024 Click here April 2024 Click here March 2024 Click here Februrary 2024 Click here January 2024 Click here December 2023 Click here November 2023 Click here October 2023 Click here

Shropshire Climate Action: Climate action groups in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Local Climate Action Groups Find a Climate Action Group near you I f you have an event you want to advertise, please send the details to our comunications group by clicking on this link . Light Foot Enterprises C/o Enterprise House, Station Street, Bishops Castle, SY9 5AQ. Covers Bishop's Castle & surrounding area Mail Click for information Clun Climate & Environment Group Clun Town Council with Chapel Lawn Mail Click for information Market Drayton Climate Action Market Drayton & surrounding area Mail Click for information Pontesbury Climate Emergency Action Group Pontesbury Parish Mail Click for information St Martin’s Parish Council Climate Action Working Group St Martins Village Hall, Shropshire, SY11 3AY. Mail Click for information Transition Telford Meetings held 1st Tuesday of the month at the Cock Hotel, 148 Holyhead Road, Wellington, TF1 2DL. Mail Click for information Sustainable Bridgnorth St John's Catholic Church Hall, Northgate, Bridgnorth, WV16 4ER. Mail Click for information Clunbury Climate & Environment Group Parish of Clunbury Mail Click for information Sustainable Newport Covers Newport & surrounding area (around TF10 postcode) Mail Click for information Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth Shrewsbury Mail Click for information Stretton Climate Care Drop in sessions held at the Health and Wellbeing Centre, Church Stretton, SY6 6BL. Mail Click for information Teme Valley Environment Group Knighton & surrounding area Mail Click for information Broseley Climate Action Group Bridgnorth Town Council, Broseley, TF12 5EL. Mail Click for information Ludlow 21 C/o Ludlow Mascall Centre, Lower Galdeford, Ludlow, SY8 1RZ. Covers Ludlow & surrounding area Mail Click for information Oswestry Climate Action Hub 36 Bailey Street, Oswestry, SY11 1PU Mail Click for information XR Shrewsbury (Extinction Rebellion) Meetings held Wednesdays monthly at the Nags Head, 22 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, SY1 1XB. Mail Click for information Climate Action Hub Telford Events held at Belmont Hall, Tan Bank, Wellington,TF1 1LT. Mail Click for information Wem Area Climate Action Wem & surrounding area Mail Click for information

< Back Mossy.Life - Shropshire’s online local green guide Caroline Talbot 1 Mar 2024 For all Shropshire's green events, groups, activities and more This beautiful county not only provides magical green rolling countryside, but is the home of a whole array of green-minded individuals, companies, organisations and groups, all trying to gain traction in working towards a net zero way of living. From start-up zero waste shops and community litter picking initiatives, to energy saving workshops and organic farms, Shropshire has so many green heroes working towards a more sustainable future. Although it is true that every little really does help, it is also true that by connecting like-minded people and working together, we can help amplify the effect. In 2019, Caroline Talbot, a Shropshire born environmental educator, wanted to make a difference, so started to build an online free to use directory whilst on maternity leave. The website Mossy.Life has gone from strength to strength and now lists over 630 organisations and groups, and between 50-500 environmental events in the online calendar at any given time. How you can use : Mossy.Life provides a green directory that can be searched by location, category or name, as well as a searchable events calendar . Both offer completely free listings to encourage even the smallest of groups to get involved. It includes a calendar of national and international campaigns , local green news and a range of eco living articles . The website can also be explored by area, showcasing Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin on individual pages to help connect individuals with everything local to them. You can also embed the Mossy.Life Directory into your own group’s website as South Shropshire Climate Action and Zero Carbon Shropshire have done to help publicize all the activities taking place locally to help address the Nature and climate crisis. If you know of an individual, organization, group, product or event that isn’t yet listed, please get in touch to help spread the word by sending an email to Caroline at hello@mossy.life Local Climate Groups Local Climate Groups Local Climate Groups Previous Next

< Back So what do you do with your hoover fluff? Angela Vnoucek 12 Jul 2024 One Shrewsbury resident's journey to become a Zero Waster This is not a question which comes up in everyday conversation. It is however relevant if, like me, you do not like putting your general waste bin out. It was too much hassle for me with a busy job and one less thing that I needed to think about. No more " What day is bin day? " and all the aggravation which came with. It was 2011 and I decided to review everything I put in my bin and find another home for it, or, better still, not generate it in the first place. I soon reached the stage where a whole year had gone by and I could still see the bottom of my general waste bin. It was only in 2020 that I realised I was doing something which is rapidly becoming a growing trend – zero wasting. I became used to recycling, reducing, repairing, repurposing, rotting (aka composting) and refusing. My general waste bin has now been repurposed and houses, ironically, my garden equipment. And what became of the hoover fluff? That went into the green waste bin. So now that I have posed the question please ask yourself ‘What do you do with your hoover fluff?’ Your journey to be a zero waster has begun. Read more about Angela's zero waste activities on the BBC News website . Listen to her interview on BBC Radio Shropshire [Intro @ 26:40; then 30:13 - 36:30: 48:24 - 54:27: 1.42:09 - 1.48:49] Previous Next

Shropshire Climate Action: Green Your Money How to green your money so you don't fund the climate crisis One of the most important climate actions you can take is to make sure your hard-earned money (in your bank accounts, pensions, investments and insurance policies) is not unintentionally helping to fund fossil fuel production and extraction projects. Since the landmark Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, Brendan Montague estimates in ‘Banking on our Future ’ (Ecologist, 2022) that: the top 60 banks globally have injected $2.75 trillion in fossil fuels UK banks have contributed over $300 billion Insurers like Lloyd's of London, with $30 trillion in capital, are heavily involved. A key action you can take to reduce your personal carbon footprint is to move your money into ethical financial alternatives. This includes banks, pension and investment funds, and insurers who prioritise investments in renewables and carbon-neutral initiatives and do not fund fossil fuel projects and other harmful practices such as deforestation. This section will guide you through the green finance options that are available and give you the tools to use your financial power for the planet’s well-being! 1 Green Your Banking 2 Green your Pension 3 Green your insurance 1. Banking: How to ditch your fossil fuel supporting bank & switch to a greener alternative Banks, through their lending and investment decisions, significantly shape our planet’s future. Bank Green* states that since the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, the Big Five UK high street banks (HSBC, Barclays, Santander, NatWest and Lloyds) have poured £311.3 billion into the fossil fuel sector, and £120 billion into companies at the forefront of oil and gas expansion (*Source: ShareAction’s 2022 Oil & Gas Expansion Report ) . So, what can you do to make sure you are not part of the problem? 1. Check your bank or building society’s ethical rating Use Bank Green’s search engine to see if your bank is using your money to fund climate chaos. See MotherTree’s Bank League Table which calculates the carbon emissions of major UK banks and reveals the top offenders. Use MotherTree’s Money Carbon Calculator for free to calculate your money's impact and get connected with greener banks. Look up Good with Money’s league tables for the: The worst banks for climate emissions Best ethical providers for current accounts Best ethical providers for savings accounts  Best ethical credit cards Best ethical providers for business current accounts Subscribe to Ethical Consumer magazine online to see the most up to date rankings of banks and buildings societies in the UK showing 31 current accounts, 50 savings accounts (including ISAs), and 30 small business accounts. As a rule of thumb Building Societies are almost always a greener option. Avoid banks such as Barclays and HSBC. Some credit unions also offer current accounts so you can help people and planet at the same time. 2. Move your money Use this FREE current account switch service to help you to make the change – it’s so simple! The switching service will: move your money, direct debits and standing orders across to the new account close your previous account transfer any payments meant to go into your old accounts, for example your salary All this takes just 7 working days to clean up your finances! Your action will make a difference! According to MotherTree , £12,500 held in a current account (the average UK household saving figure in 2022) with Barclays, contributes 2.9 tonnes CO2 per year - more than flying from the UK to Rome 14 times. So switching to a greener provider can significantly reduce your carbon footprint! 2. Pensions: Invest your pension in a greener future The UK’s pension funds – the largest in Europe – hold more than £2.6 trillion in assets (Source: ShareAction ). Workplace and personal pensions are typically the largest investments individuals make in their lifetime. But do you know what your pension pot is funding? This money could be invested in creating a better world but much of it is instead fuelling its destruction. Many pension providers' default funds, the ones people are automatically enrolled in, do not exclude sectors that are harmful to the environment. According to the Finance Innovation Lab : £300 billion of UK pension capital is invested in companies with a high risk of driving deforestation £88 billion is invested in the fossil fuel industry only 4% of the pensions industry’s assets are invested in climate solutions. Investments in fossil fuels are also risky which could undermine your pension’s long-term security (Source: ShareAction ). According to Make My Money Matter greening your pension is 21 times more effective at reducing your carbon footprint than giving up flying, no longer eating meat and switching energy provider COMBINED . No pension is perfect but you can take these steps to make yours greener: 1. Check where your money is going Review your pension provider’s investment policy and whether they have policies to exclude or reduce investments in damaging sectors such as fossil fuels. Use MotherTree’s Money Carbon Calculator for free to calculate your pension’s impact. Check your local authority pension fund using the Divest website . Subscribe to Ethical Consumer magazine online to see how 23 major pension providers are ranked. View Make My Money Matter’s rankings of the 12 largest UK pension providers on their climate plans here. 2. Demand ethical options If your pension provider does not offer ethical investment options, don't be afraid to speak up and express your concerns. ShareAction can help you lobby your fund manager for carbon divestment. Use their tools to take action. 3. Switch to an ethical pension fund Find an alternative pension provider or funds that prioritise sustainable investments and explicitly exclude fossil fuels and other harmful industries. Ethical consumer magazine have published this Pension Guide which you can subscribe to, to find the most ethical pensions. Their top 3 most ethical pension funds are: NEST (National Employment Savings Trust) ethical pension fund Pension Bee Climate Fund pension The People's Pension ethical fund Check out this free Good with Money guide - Best ethical pension funds in 2025. Before making any decisions about pensions seek professional advice. Ethical consumer magazine has this guide to finding independent financial advisers specialising in ethical investment . 4. Campaign for change Support campaigns for more responsible investment practices which prioritise sustainable and ethical investments. The UK Divest website is full of useful information for local grassroots groups who are demanding our public institutions divest from the fossil fuel industry. Find your local Divestment campaign here . Fossil Free Shropshire is campaigning for Shropshire Council to divest the Shropshire Pension Fund which still invests at least £26 million in the fossil fuel industry. Read this guide on how to lobby your local councillors about divestment. Write to your MP using UK Divest’s letter proforma. Sign the Finance Innovation Lab and 350.org’s petition calling on the UK government to reform the pensions system so it delivers better outcomes for savers and pensioners, the economy and the environment. Insurance: Switch to insurance that doesn't cost the earth Is your home insurance, travel insurance, health insurance, car insurance or pet insurance inadvertently funding the climate crisis? ShareAction’s Insuring Disaster 2024 report revealed that the insurance sector paid out over $100 billion a year for the last four years in claims related to the impact of global heating. At the same time the insurance companies are continuing to invest in and underwrite increased fossil fuel production and projects which destroy vital ecosystems for agriculture or mining. Here’s what you can do to make sure your insurance provider is not investing your policyholder premiums in activities that harm the environment. 1. Research your insurer's investments Read ShareAction’s Insuring Disaster 2024 report about the insurance sector which ranks the world’s largest insurers’ approaches to responsible investment and underwriting. Use Insure Our Future’s scorecard which provides more in depth analysis of insurance companies underwriting and investing in coal, oil and gas projects. Are they being transparent about their investment practices and do they disclose investments in sectors like fossil fuels and deforestation? Do they have environmental policies in place to actively exclude investments in industries that contribute to the climate crisis. Are they signatories of initiatives like the Principles for Sustainable Insurance. Have they received certifications from organisations like B Corp which confirm they meet rigorous social and environmental standards. 2. Switch to a more ethical insurance company Find an insurer that explicitly avoids supporting industries harmful to the environment and instead invest in renewable energy and conservation efforts. View The Good Shopping Guide’s ethical comparison table of the UK’s big insurance providers. Read Good with Money’s Best ethical home insurers in 2025 . Subscribe to Ethical Consumer magazine online and use their Green insurance guides which cover car, house, pet and health insurance. 3. Campaign for change If your insurance provider is part of the problem write to them or share your concerns on social media and tag your insurance provider to encourage them to take action. Support Insure Our Future - a global campaign urging insurance companies to stop underwriting and investing in fossil fuels. Join Insure our Survival to take direct action outside insurance companies around the UK.

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Shropshire Climate Action: Refuse & Reduce Refuse & reduce Changing the system to reduce our impact To reduce carbon emissions we need to reduce the amount we buy and throw away. This 20 minute video ‘The Story of Stuff' by Annie Leonard explains how most of the things we buy use the industrial production model "take, make and throw away’’ – which means items have a linear – one directional life span. The materials are extracted from the earth - made into the item – distributed and sold to consumers – used - then thrown away. A circular economy and Doughnut Economics offer more sustainable models of production. Circular economies design products to be more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable, and are therefore kept in use for as long as possible. This helps to eliminate waste and pollution; prioritises using renewable materials and renewable energy sources; and can help to regenerate Nature. The Helen MacArthur Foundation website provides more information and examples about how circular economies work. Kate Raworth's video on ‘Doughnut Economics,' extends the Circular Economy and “offers a vision of what it means for humanity to thrive in the 21st century” in ways that promote social and ecological justice. The video is below. More on Doughnut Economics The DEAL (Doughnut Economics Action Lab) website demonstrates how to turn theory into action, and Civic Square is a case study from Birmingham. The image below of Doughnut Economics is taken from the DEAL website .

< Back Minsterley Meadows success Janet Cobb 1 Dec 2024 Fundraiser saves nationally important Shropshire grassland Following a 10-month campaign by local people and nature conservationists, Middle Marches Community Land Trust and Marches Meadow Group are delighted to announce that Minsterley Meadows have been purchased. Thanks are due to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and players, 367 donors, Morris & Co and over 100 supporters and volunteers. The meadows are nationally important and are amongst the best flowery grasslands in Shropshire. They support over 5,000 green-winged orchids, a species which has severely declined over the last 100 years. Over 90% of Shropshire’s green-winged orchids are in these two hay meadows. In addition, funds have been secured for ongoing management of the meadows including supporting local people to care for them and engaging with young people through a local art project, activities and events as well as working closely with local schools. Peter Carty, Chair of Marches Meadow Group commented: “This is a fantastic achievement…such places are arks of wildlife from where we hope to collect seed and material to spread into new meadows” Geoff Rogers, Chair, Minsterley Parish Council adds: "The Parish of Minsterley greatly appreciates all those who have secured the purchase of Minsterley Meadows saving it for future generations.” Previous Next

Shropshire Climate Action: Renewable Energy in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Renewable energy production in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Read information about the potential renewable energy capacity across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and why we support solar farms and roof top solar Read the Shropshire Renewable Energy Opportunity Map report (Full .pdf -100Mb) Browse the Renewable Energy maps via Shropshire Council's website Renewable Energy Mapping for Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin How much renewable energy potential is there in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin? Where is it, and how could it impact the local economy? What future infrastructure will be needed to support the journey towards net zero carbon Shropshire by 2030? Shropshire Council funded Zero Carbon Shropshire to explore these questions in 2021. The mapping exercise looked at where the opportunities are for ground-mounted solar and wind farm development in Shropshire and the associated grid constraints and opportunities, to help plan for the development of the local energy industry for decarbonising residential, industrial and other energy use. The series of on-line maps show the siting possibilities of such infrastructure with the aim of helping inform planning decisions to provide a strategic approach to energy development in Shropshire and to promote the development of the local energy industry. Watch the webinar discussing the report and maps recorded on the 20 October 2021. The Benefits of Solar Farms The whole world is undergoing an enormous and rapid change in the way it gets its energy, moving away from burning fossil fuels to cleaner, renewable sources such as wind and solar. While climate change is the main driver, political and economic instability in the gas and oil markets are also becoming important factors. We make the case below about the benefits of solar farms as an important part of the UK’s future energy mix. What about coal, oil and gas? They’ve served us well for two hundred years We cannot depend on fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) in the long-term as they: give off greenhouse gases which are changing the earth’s climate, leading to long-term problems for humans and nature are highly polluting, which is damaging to human health and nature are a finite resource and are becoming too expensive, so more and more people cannot afford them, leading to fuel poverty What about hydrogen? Hydrogen gives off only water when burned and can be used as a direct replacement for most fossil fuel uses. The big problem with hydrogen is there isn’t enough that’s easy to get at and naturally occurring to meet our needs, meaning we’ll have to make it. Hydrogen can be made from water but it takes a lot of energy, which we’d either have to get from burning fossil fuels or from renewables. Using hydrogen, therefore, could meet some of our energy needs but only if we also fully commit to renewables like wind, solar and the rest. Haven’t you forgotten biomass? Biomass means stuff that grows or waste from stuff that grows, such as trees, animal manure and food waste, all of which can be burned or converted to bio-gas using anaerobic digestion which can then be burned to generate energy. Biomass is considered a renewable because other living things can grow to replace what has been used. However, unlike other renewables, biomass gives off greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. Although making ‘new’ biomass will re-absorb the carbon release in burning the previous material, this takes time – think how long it takes for trees to grow. So biomass, can only ever be a partial fix to the UK energy mix problem. The National Grid: wind versus solar - generating electricity where it's needed The National Grid has been designed to carry electricity from power stations to where it is used. Changing where we generate our electricity from in-shore power stations to large offshore wind farms bringing their power ashore at a small number of places will place impossible loads on the National Grid, meaning we will have to redesign it at great cost to consumers. Solar farms and rooftop solar can be installed much closer to where the energy is needed which means much less re-design work for the National Grid and, therefore, far less cost to the consumer. It is inevitable that local renewable generation and local consumption, possibly linked to local tariff arrangements, will form part of the UK electricity landscape in the future. Is it true that land cannot be returned to agriculture at the end of the lifetime of a solar farm? No, this is not true. A solar farm leaves no permanent effect on land. It can be removed in a few days and the site reverted back to whatever use it previously had or an alternative. In a couple of years it would be impossible to tell that a solar farm had ever been there. While it is in place, the soil also has a chance to improve its own micro-structures and fauna if it is not being used for intensive agriculture. This is not the case with a power station – think about all the ‘brown field’ sites that we have to spend money on in order to clean up and re-use. I have heard that solar panels contain lead and that this can enter the environment – is this true? Like all electronic apparatus solar panels and control systems contain lead (in the solder used to make electrical connections) and other rare metals. These cannot leave the device when in use, but the equipment must be disposed of properly at the end of its use, either by re-use elsewhere or by proper re-cycling. The elements that can be recovered are of value (many are scarce) so there is a strong financial as well as legislative imperative to recover these. Given that these installations may have lifetimes of 30 or 40 years, the need for this recovery will increase into the future. Already, the scrap value of ‘old’ consumer electronics from your local recycling centre has increased several-fold. The alternatives to fossil fuels include renewables The most obvious alternative sources of energy that do not give off greenhouse gases are: Renewables (wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, wave and tidal) Nuclear Hydrogen Renewables can be used for most things we currently use fossil fuels for and are endlessly available – the wind is always blowing somewhere, the sun is shining, rivers are flowing, waves are forming in the sea and the Earth’s core is generating heat. What about nuclear? While we can perhaps use nuclear as part of our future energy mix, we cannot rely on it as a replacement for fossil fuels. This is because existing nuclear power stations are nearing the end of their useful lives and new ones take a very long time to build, are hugely expensive and present significant risks. We still don’t have a good way of safely dealing with nuclear waste. Why can’t we rely solely on offshore wind farms? In the UK wind farms are now big business and wind turbines are very efficient at converting wind into electricity, so why do we need solar at all? The UK Government has set targets for onshore and offshore wind capacity to be installed by 2030 and 2050. These targets, together with some existing nuclear capacity, do not meet the likely total UK electricity demand. We will therefore need to continue to burn gas to make up the shortfall or turn to other renewable sources such as solar. It therefore makes sense to increase energy generation from all renewable sources. In addition, offshore wind farms aren’t in the best location to provide electricity to all parts of the UK and sometimes the wind doesn’t blow. I hear solar farms are not efficient, so why would we build them? Solar panels are usually between 15 and 22% efficient , meaning they convert 15-22% of the sun’s energy that falls on them to electricity. This is much less than wind turbines at 50%+ or a standard gas boiler at as much as 94% or even a standard car engine at between 60 and 85%. Efficiency is an important consideration if you are dealing with a limited resource. However, wind and solar are free and readily available, whereas gas and petrol have to be found, mined, refined and transported – think of North Sea oil rigs, oil tankers, gas pipes and petrol stations – meaning their efficiency is much less than it may appear. Grazing sheep and bee-keeping on solar farms are token gestures aren’t they? No, this is not ‘tokenism’. During the life time of the solar farm, the land could, for example, be used for livestock grazing or bee-keeping, both of which can generate additional income for the land owner. The presence of bees and other pollinators is a good sign that biodiversity is improving. Or the land could simply be left to lie fallow or managed to encourage wild flowers to grow thereby invigorating nature. All of these possible uses, without pesticide or fertiliser application, will allow the soil fertility and condition to improve and flora and fauna to flourish, increasing the biodiversity and health of the ecosystem. Do solar farms undermine our food security? 60% of our food is imported, land is being taken out of cultivation at a rate of almost 100,000 acres per year, and yields are declining due to the effect of global heating. Can we afford to lose more arable land to the development of solar farms? Economics, consumer habits and expectations are the major drivers of food imports, not the proportion of land used in the UK. The availability of best and most versatile (BMV) land may be more than enough if alternative crop varieties and new forms of growing (hydroponics etc) become commonplace. Moreover, the land used for a solar farm can quickly and completely return to farming use if needed. It is for landowners to decide how they manage and use their land. The idea that good land is somehow ‘poorly used’ if it has a solar farm temporarily sited on it is not the whole story – the reasons for this are far more complex. Many traditional forms of agriculture are not financially sustainable. We should be asking “why do landowners look to solar farms and other schemes as the only viable business for their land?”. Big Solar Co-op installs solar panels on rooftops which are the size of a tennis court or bigger, and where the building has high electricity usage (prior to 2022 prices, at least £20k in electricity bills). See their website to find out more. Or submit information about your site via https://bigsolar.coop/submit-a-site/ for an assessment and response from the local coordinator.