OUR VISION

WHY?

Transitioning to low carbon energy supply will prompt a substantial land use change across the world, with implications for ecosystems, at a time of increasing land use pressure and environmental decline.

WHAT?

Resolving and quantifying the co-benefits and co-costs of renewable energy infrastructure in our landscapes and using this knowledge to embed broader environmental benefits into the design, construction, operation and decommissioning.

HOW?

Working across disciplines and sectors to co-develop collaborative field, laboratory, modelling and desk-based research, innovation and consultancy projects and using the findings to change policy and practice.

If you’d like to hear more or work with us on research, innovation or consultancies activities

Our Current Projects

Remote Sensing of Solar Park Impacts

Remote Sensing of Solar Park Impacts

This research is led by Guoqing Li, who is visiting Lancaster University from Ludong University, China, and focuses on resolving the environmental impacts of solar parks using remote sensing imagery.
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Strategically Integrated Renewable Energy and Environment Systems (SIRE)

Strategically Integrated Renewable Energy and Environment Systems (SIRE)

The SIRE is an Industrial Innovation Fellowship awarded to Dr Alona Armstrong. The overarching aim of the project is to provide robust evidence to inform the strategic deployment of wind and solar energy across the UK delivering energy, environment and socio-economic benefits.
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Floating Solar

Floating Solar

Within this EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account project we are developing an understanding of the impacts of floatovoltaics on the hosting water body and building a relevant stakeholder network.
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Solar Park Impacts on Ecosystem Services (SPIES)

Solar Park Impacts on Ecosystem Services (SPIES)

The SPIES project produced a decision support tool to inform solar park management for ecosystem services using an evidenced-based approach. The decision support tool developed with the SPIES project was extended within the subsequent SPIES:I project.

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Our Recent Publications

Techno–ecological synergies of solar energy for global sustainability

Techno–ecological synergies of solar energy for global sustainability

Resolves the techno-ecological synergy of renewable energy infrastructure, highlighting potential land, water, food and built-up system benefits.

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Journal page

Ground-level climate at a peatland wind farm in Scotland is affected by wind turbine operation

Ground-level climate at a peatland wind farm in Scotland is affected by wind turbine operation

Established the spatially explicit variation in ground level climate caused by operational wind farms. Detailed the potential implications for ecosystem carbon cycling.

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Journal page

Solar park microclimate and vegetation management effects on grassland carbon cycling

Solar park microclimate and vegetation management effects on grassland carbon cycling

Established the diurnal and annual within solar park variation in climate. Provided insight on the effects on vegetation, soil properties and greenhouse gas emissions. Selected for highlights in the European Commission Science for Environment Policy newsletter.

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Journal page