Do solar farms make any noise?

We’ve been doing some research on solar energy, and we set out to learn whether solar farms make any noise. The answer? They sure do. Have a listen below.

Hertfordshire’s first commercial-scale solar farm is the 13.2 MW Folly Farm Solar Park near Long Marston in Dacorum Borough, close to the western boundary of Hertfordshire.

It was commissioned in 2015, covers 61 acres, cost $20 million (£15.7 million at today’s exchange rate), and supplies 4,500 homes. It is currently owned by a Danish company.

But does it make any noise?

It sure does make noise!

This video was recorded on 8^th June 2023 on a clear sunny day, from the public footpath which runs right through the Folly Farm Solar Park. The footpath is also the route of the Aylesbury Ring, a 32-mile circular route around Aylesbury, established by The Ramblers and opened in 1993. The Ring is described as being ‘never very far from the town but mostly in quiet and peaceful rural countryside’.

It certainly isn’t quiet and peaceful passing the inverter on a sunny day in June.

Does solar farm noise matter?

Why the issue of noise matters is that solar arrays built near homes or schools, especially in rural areas where ambient noise levels are lower, could emit noise of this nature whenever there is enough solar power to generate electricity. The noise may impact on the health and well-being of some people, especially those with increased sensitivities to noise, as well on wildlife species which perceive different sound wavelengths.

And the noise will certainly impact on any nearby residents’ amenity, and the recreational amenity of all those using footpaths and other Public Rights of Way on or nearby a solar farm site.

Recent Planning Inspectorate decision cites solar farm noise

We were heartened by a recent Planning Inspectorate decision that recognised the noise issue of solar farms. Dismissing an appeal against refusal of planning permission for a solar array at Alfreton in Derbyshire in December 2022, the Inspector referred in his decision letter to the impacts of ‘a dominant industrial installation with associated noise from inverters’ and the ‘significant and detrimental change in the character and appearance of the area’ which would result from the solar installation. Concluding, he said: ‘I consider that 40 years is a very significant period in people’s lives during which the development would seriously detract from landscape character and visual amenity’. (Appeal Ref: APP/M1005/W/22/3299953, Land north west of Hall Farm, Church Street, Alfreton DE55 7AH)

To be clear, here at CPRE Hertfordshire we are all for renewable energy. But we want solar panels on all suitable and available rooftops, not on productive agricultural land in the countryside.

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CPRE Hertfordshire, the countryside charity, campaigns to protect, promote and enhance the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside for the benefit of everyone. To keep up to date with our work please sign up below for our newsletter. Or better still, please join us – we are a membership charity and it’s quick and easy to join online.