In return for leasing land to us, the landowner receives a generous annual rent (typically per acre of land occupied by the solar farm) that is linked to inflation and fixed for a period of 26-30 years. Depending on the location of the site this rent could range from £750 - £1150 per acre in England and Wales and from £500 - £750 per acre in Scotland.
The most common form of agricultural use is sheep grazing, however we are currently working with the agricultural colleges and universities to explore a number of crops that could be grown in between the solar arrays. All of this helps to sustain agricultural enterprise by diversifying the sources of income for a rural business, the long term rental agreement provides a source of regular, predictable income for the duration of the tenancy.
The reversible nature of solar farms also means they can easily be decommissioned and the land returned to its former agricultural use at the end of the tenancy, having benefitted from being rested from intensive farming over the intervening years.