An affordable solution
With the significant fall in panel costs over recent years, solar has become one of the cheapest sources of energy. On a levelised basis, power from solar now costs less than half that produced by even the most modern gas turbine, and without any of the harmful emissions and pollutants. The International Energy Agency predicts that solar power could overtake coal to become the leading energy source worldwide by as early as 2025, and go on to cement its place as the World’s single largest energy source through 2050. At Elements Green, we’re hard at work to make this happen.
The energy landscape
Solar panels do not require a cloudless sky to generate power. Photovoltaic (PV) cells operate on daylight, meaning they continue to harvest energy even on typical overcast UK days by capturing diffuse light through the cloud cover.
While summer provides the most daylight hours, extreme heat can actually decrease electrical efficiency. Solar panels perform most effectively in cooler, bright conditions. In the UK, the optimal balance of light intensity and ambient temperature typically occurs during April and September, which are the peak months for solar energy creation.
Solar benefits for landowners
Solar developments can pay competitive, contracted rent for the farmland that hosts them. This rent delivers returns whatever the vagaries of the weather, pests, input or commodity prices. Our leases are usually for up to 40-years, providing intergenerational financial security for our landowners and their families.
Additionally, studies have found that a break in the application of fertilisers and pesticides to the land can significantly improve soil health and water runoff over the long term – rejuvenating the topsoil and ensuring that the land is ready to be cultivated again upon end-of-lifetime decommissioning of our plants.
Why invest in solar?
Solar plants offer very stable returns on investment – the sun has risen every day as expected (so far!). Additionally, solar requires very little ongoing expenditure as there is no need to purchase or transport fuel or water and no moving parts that need constant maintenance.
As a result, solar has become a very popular investment – whether for homeowners or utility scale ground-mounted systems. Financial institutions are comfortable with the asset class, and therefore a wide variety of financial packages are available to secure investment in Solar.
Solar Energy
If you’re curious about how solar energy works and its role in the energy transition, these questions and answers will help explain the essentials.
Do solar panels work on cloudy days?
Yes. Photovoltaic (PV) cells operate on daylight, capturing diffuse light even through cloud cover. Solar panels do not require direct sunshine to generate electricity, and can continue producing power in overcast conditions.
Solar is proven to perform across a wide range of climates — from the UK and Germany, to sunnier markets such as Italy and Australia. Countries with very different weather patterns all generate significant solar power, demonstrating that consistent daylight, rather than constant sunshine, is the key factor.
Interestingly, extreme heat can reduce efficiency. Solar panels perform best in cool, bright conditions rather than very hot weather. While efficiency can be high in spring and autumn, total generation typically peaks in summer months due to longer daylight hours.
Are solar parks safe?
Solar farms are widely regarded as one of the safest forms of energy infrastructure. The technology is mature, largely passive, and has a strong safety record globally. There are no combustion processes and no direct emissions during operation, and the panels themselves contain no moving parts.
As with all energy infrastructure, risks such as electrical faults are carefully managed through design, regulation and ongoing monitoring. All our projects are built to meet the relevant local safety and planning standards in each market, with comprehensive site security and continuous performance monitoring in place.
Are solar panels toxic?
During normal operation, solar panels produce no toxic emissions. Standard silicon-based PV panels are composed primarily of silicon, glass and aluminium, with only small quantities of other metals. These materials are sealed within the panel, meaning they do not pose a risk in normal use.
In this respect, solar panels are similar to many everyday electronic devices, such as mobile phones or televisions, which also contain small amounts of industrial materials that are safely contained during use.
At end of life, panels are subject to an increasing range of recycling and waste management regulations. We work with supply chain partners that meet recognised international standards, including the Solar Stewardship Initiative, to ensure responsible sourcing, handling and disposal.
How long do solar parks last?
Modern solar parks are designed to operate for 30–40 years, with many assets capable of being extended or repowered beyond this period. Our lease agreements with landowners are structured accordingly, providing long-term, stable income over decades.
At the end of a project’s life, solar parks can be fully decommissioned. This involves removing equipment and restoring the land, typically back to agricultural use. These requirements are governed by planning and regulatory frameworks, ensuring responsible end-of-life management.
What happens to solar panels at the end of their life?
Solar panel recycling is a rapidly developing industry. Materials such as glass, aluminium and silicon can be recovered and reused, with recycling processes continuing to improve as the market grows. Regulatory frameworks across the UK and EU are also strengthening to support responsible end-of-life management.
At the end of a solar park’s operational life, projects are fully decommissioned. This includes removing equipment and ensuring appropriate recycling or disposal, with no cost to the landowner.
In addition, each project is backed by a dedicated decommissioning fund. This is held in escrow — meaning the money is set aside in a secure, independent account that cannot be accessed for any other purpose. The fund is regularly reviewed and topped up over the life of the project to ensure sufficient coverage at all times, and remains in place regardless of any change in ownership.
This structure provides certainty for both local communities and landowners that, when the project ends, the solar park can be fully removed and the land restored to its original agricultural use.
Can solar parks be built on agricultural land?
Yes — and in many cases they can work alongside existing land uses. Solar parks are typically developed on lower-grade agricultural land, and are designed to support compatible activities such as sheep grazing and biodiversity enhancement, including wildflower meadow management beneath and around the panels.
Solar parks are a temporary and reversible land use, designed to maintain — and in some cases enhance — soil condition over the life of the project. In many cases, panel mounting structures are installed using driven steel piles rather than concrete foundations, minimising disturbance to the soil and allowing the land to be fully restored at the end of the project.
Sites are often seeded with carefully selected grass and wildflower mixes to support biodiversity both above and below ground — from pollinators and birdlife to soil health. Reduced use of fertilisers and pesticides during this period can also support improvements in soil structure and biodiversity.
We are also actively exploring agrivoltaics — integrating solar generation with crop production — in partnership with leading universities, as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainable land use innovation.
This helps preserve the long-term quality of the land, allowing it to be returned to agricultural use once the solar park is decommissioned.