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New data from trade association Solar Energy UK and Copper Consultancy, published in the paper 2025 – Support continues to grow for solar, has shown a marked increase in the UK public’s support for solar farms. Main points Solar Energy UK reports that 77% of the survey’s 1,500 respondents backed the development of solar installations in their local areas. More than two-thirds of respondents noted that their feelings towards solar sites had changed over the last year. Of these participants, over 81% had become more supportive. The trade association notes in a statement that a 4% increase in support for solar farms has been observed since 2023. A small increase in opposition has also been noticed, with Solar Energy UK explaining that clearer communication about the benefits of solar energy could help bridge the gap. The public has become more aware of the challenges solar installations face, with 20% of respondents stating that sites for installations are chosen based on “no particular reason”. Conclusions Although the appreciation of solar installations has seen a large increase in the eyes of the UK public over the last few years, the data showed that work still needs to be done to foster universal acceptance and tackle myths. For example, the report notes that “limited public awareness of the reasons behind site selection remains a challenge.” In its statement, Solar Energy UK demonstrates the correlation between clearer communication about the benefits of solar energy and increased public acceptance. The association explains that the industry should be communicating solar’s positive impact on energy bills, jobs, net-zero targets, and biodiversity. Notably, only 11% of the recent survey’s respondents were unaware of the benefits of solar to biodiversity – in comparison to 42% in 2023. Biodiversity was still most frequently placed last when respondents ranked the benefits of solar to their local areas. Only 13% mentioned it at all. Over half of respondents stated that solar should be a priority in national planning decisions – considering the UK’s net zero targets. Overall, encouraging low-cost and clean energy were respondents’ priorities when ranking benefits, but creating local jobs, supply chain opportunities, and fostering the local community also ranked highly. |
