UK Prime Minister Opposes Placing Solar Panels on Farmland, Downing Street Says
UK Prime Minister Liz Truss does not think solar panels should be installed on productive agricultural lands, Downing Street has said.
According to a report in The Guardian, Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena wants to protect farmland amid concerns over food security and is seeking to restrict the development of solar projects on farms in England.
Asked about the report on Monday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson did not confirm or deny the claims, but pointed to what Truss said about solar panels in September.
Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers her keynote speech at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, on Oct. 5, 2022. (Jacob King/PA Media)
“She said she doesn’t think we should be putting solar panels on productive agricultural lands, because obviously as well as the energy security issue, we face a food security issue. So we need to strike the right balance,” said the spokesperson….