Is the West Botley Solar Farm a Step Forward or a Step Back for Oxfordshire?

The proposed West Botley Solar Farm project aims to generate 840MW of power for 330,000 homes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It meets current UK climate renewable energy goals and aligns with government policy to increase solar capacity. However, the scale and impact on local communities are immense, spanning approximately 3,200 acres and affecting over 15 villages across an area 11 miles long and 4 miles wide. This will change the character of those villages for decades to come. The effect of covering such a large area of the countryside with glass on the local climate is unclear. This scheme represents only 1.2% of the UK's target to add 56GW of solar capacity by 2035. While this scheme alone may not significantly impact food security, if all schemes proceed, a significant amount of farmland will be taken out of use at a time when the UK’s population is expected to grow by 6%, and the UK already imports 40% of its food.

There are two further considerations. First, other than meeting government targets, how much will this scheme really impact global warming? China alone has 3,092 coal-fired power stations, with additional capacity equivalent to 94 average power stations being built in 2024. At the height of coal-fired power station use in the 1960s-70s, the UK had 50. Building solar and wind farms in the UK will have a minuscule impact on CO2 emissions as it needs to be a global solution. If the government is committed to reducing emissions, it should put tariffs on goods bought from China and other countries made using fossil fuels. Some argue that the UK should take the moral high ground and set an example, but China and many other countries won't care and won't take any lessons from the UK.

This is a commercial venture, and maximising profit is the target. Putting panels on factory roofs would be much more expensive and make it commercially less attractive. Therefore, it is clear that maximising profit for the generator is being put before the wants of the local community. Regardless of the decision made, the generator will find that this scheme is not as profitable as they think it will be, as Reform UK has committed to abolishing any subsidies when they come to power in 2029. If they cannot do this because of contractual arrangements, a windfall tax will be introduced on green energy generation to offset subsidies. Reform UK is committed to Net Zero savings of £30 billion per annum. Given the uncertainty this brings to the commercial environment, the generation company should think twice about their investment.

The Labour government's target of Net Zero is a fallacy put together by misguided bureaucrats. I look forward to the day someone asks Ed Miliband what the percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere is and what percentage has been added by human activity in the last 200 years. People will be shocked if he gets it correct and realises how small the percentage is, and even more shocked but amused if he gets it wrong.

This is a commercial project designed to make money for the owners at the expense of the people who live in Oxfordshire. The only question is, will the government put the people of Oxfordshire first or their unrealistic Net Zero targets?

Disclaimer: While this article aligns with the principles outlined in Reform UK's 'Contract with the People,' the views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official policy positions of Reform UK.