Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to require that solar farm and battery energy storage system developments are backed by sufficient performance or decommissioning bonds to guarantee the removal of infrastructure and the full reversion of land to its former use in the event of insolvency or project failure.

We do not currently have plans to require solar and battery projects to be covered by decommissioning bonds.

Solar farms are normally temporary structures and planning conditions can be used to ensure that the installations are removed when no longer in use and the land is restored to its previous use. Solar panels can be decommissioned relatively easily and cheaply. It is a legal requirement for any company that imports, manufactures or rebrands solar products to join a ‘Producer Compliance Scheme’, which then ensures their legal obligations are met, most significantly for the collection and recycling of old PV panels.