Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to help ensure that local communities benefit from hosting ground mounted solar farms.

The Government is determined to ensure that, where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they benefit from it directly.

We recently published a working paper on community benefits, in which we proposed making it mandatory for developers to provide community benefit funds. The working paper was also a call for evidence about whether/how to expand shared ownership of renewable generation technology. We are currently analysing responses and will issue a response in due course.

In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the industry trade body, will publish a voluntary community benefit protocol later this year.