New findings link solar farms to bumblebee conservation in the UK
Bumblebees, vital pollinators for wild ecosystems and many crops, are facing increasing pressure across Europe. Habitat loss, intensive farming, invasive species and climate change are reshaping landscapes that once supported stable bumblebee populations. A new study published in Global Change Biology investigates a novel conservation ally: solar farms. Could these large grasslands of glass and technology actually help the bees that keep our flora flourishing?
The study, the first to examine solar farms as potential biodiversity refuges for bumblebees, analysed 1,042 operational solar farms across Great Britain. Researchers built a high-resolution model to simulate how bumblebees forage, nest and survive in and around solar facilities under various future scenarios. The aim was to understand not just current conditions, but how changes in land use and farm management might shape bee populations in the coming decades.
How solar farms could become bee-friendly habitats
Key to the researchers’ approach was examining the resources available to bees at solar sites. While turf provides little for foraging bumblebees, a deliberate management shift toward biodiverse habitats—primarily wildflowers—creates a much richer food landscape. In the model, managed solar farms with flourishing wildflower margins and bee-friendly plantings yielded a bumblebee density in the farms that could more than double compared with conventional, low-diversity maintenance.
Dr. Hollie Blaydes, senior research associate at Lancaster University and the study’s first author, emphasised the novelty of the modelling work. “The model predicts how bees use these landscapes based on foraging and nesting resources,” she noted. “This level of detail in landscape-scale modelling is unusual and provides new insight into how solar farms could function as biodiversity refuges.”
Bees on the move: landscape context matters
Yet the researchers were clear about limits. The bee-boosting effects were strongest within the solar farms themselves. Surrounding land-use patterns and broader landscape changes held a powerful influence on bumblebee densities. In other words, a single well-managed solar farm cannot counteract extensive habitat loss or degradation in the wider countryside. The team’s findings suggest that effective honeybee and bumblebee conservation requires strategic siting and coordinated landscape planning rather than isolated, farm-by-farm action.
In practical terms, the study calls for siting solar farms in locations that connect existing bumblebee habitats and create corridors across the countryside. By linking habitats, solar installations could help bees move between populations, alleviating some risks from climate-driven shifts in distribution and reducing vulnerability to local extinctions.
Policy implications and a path forward
The authors argue that, as nations expand solar energy capacity to meet climate commitments, biodiversity-friendly design should be integrated from the outset. Solar farms can act as “refuges” in the present and near future, especially if land is managed with pollinator-friendly flora. However, the study also warns against over-reliance on solar sites alone to safeguard bumblebees and other wildlife. Habitat restoration, sustainable farming practices, and climate-adaptive land management remain essential.
As climate change intensifies extreme weather and alters habitats, the intersection of renewable energy and biodiversity conservation becomes increasingly important. The study’s take-home message is clear: well-planned solar farms can contribute to bumblebee conservation, but only as part of a broader strategy that preserves and connects wild spaces across the UK.
Takeaway for policymakers, developers and citizens
For policymakers, the research advocates for incentives and guidelines that promote biodiversity-friendly solar siting and maintenance. For developers, it highlights practical steps—such as seed mixes rich in native wildflowers and hedgerow creation—that can enhance ecological value without compromising energy output. For the public, the message is hopeful: renewable energy infrastructure can coexist with thriving pollinator populations, supporting healthier ecosystems and food security.
