The Welsh Conservatives are demanding an immediate moratorium on new solar panel developments on farmland — warning that Wales’s food security is being put at risk in the race for renewable energy.
A motion tabled by the party in the Senedd, due for debate on Wednesday (11 June), calls on the Labour-run Welsh government to launch a full strategic review of solar energy policy.
The motion by the Welsh Conservatives aims to highlight the need to protect productive agricultural land while ensuring a balanced approach to Wales’s green energy future.
The Welsh government has pledged to meet 100% of Wales’s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2035, with the broader goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
However, allowing solar developments on productive farmland is seen by some farming and rural groups as a short-sighted threat to the country’s long-term food resilience.
While solar power has a key role to play in decarbonising the energy system, the Welsh government is being urged to prioritise brownfield sites and other alternative locations — rather than on food producing land.
The Conservatives are calling for a clear solar energy strategy that supports renewable energy targets without sacrificing Wales’s agricultural heritage.
Shadow Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, said: “It is essential that we do all we can to protect our assets, and that includes safeguarding fertile farmland from being paved over for solar panels.
“While securing our energy future is important, it must not come at the expense of our agricultural land. Undermining farming in this way threatens food security and rural livelihoods."
Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Secretary for Climate Change, said that solar energy was a vital part of Wales’s journey toward renewable energy independence.
However, she added: “We need a clear and sustainable solar strategy that balances renewable energy development with the protection of our farmland. The current lack of strategy risks undermining both our energy goals and our food security.
“That’s why we’re calling for a review of the potential of solar energy in Wales and for a solar strategy for Wales.
"It’s time for the Welsh government to deliver a strategy that works for both the environment and the economy.”
