Top 20 Solar Farms in the UK: In the past ten years, the UK has changed significantly. The country is experiencing a boom in solar power throughout the UK. Solar power has become so popular that you will see solar farm developments all over the country, with solar farms located in Kent, Lincolnshire, Wales and Oxfordshire, to name but a few places. Today, these solar farms do not generate just electricity. They also change the way we perceive our landscapes, provide economic development opportunities for local communities and support really ambitious UK climate goals.
In this blog, you will learn about the biggest 20 solar farms in the UK, and what sets each apart from its competitors, along with some interesting statistics. Whether you are passionate about clean energy or just interested in how your electricity is created, this guide will provide you with some great information about solar energy in the UK.
Table of Contents
Why Solar Farms Matter
Here we will look at where UK solar energy is deployed on the farm scale, but first let’s take a look at how UK solar energy has grown and changed the way electricity is delivered in the country. In the year 2025 solar generation has increased by 33% compared to earlier years and created enough electricity to provide power to millions of home users.
On a sunny summer day, UK solar generated nearly 40% of the electrical demand for the whole of the United Kingdom using only sunlight and no gas or coal.
By the end of 2030, UK solar will have grown and developed into 1,300 operational solar farms and from that, the UK will establish a combined capacity of 45 to 47 GW. Therefore we can clearly see that even in a country where it is very rare to experience sunshine there is more going on than just sunshine acting as a backdrop for UK images.
Ultimate List of Top 20 Solar Farms in the UK
In the UK, there are a variety of solar farms, some of which include the following:
| Rank | Solar Farm | Location | Capacity (MW) | Fun Fact |
| 1 | Cleve Hill Solar Park | Kent | 373 | Largest operational farm in UK, which is enough for 100,000+ homes |
| 2 | Shotwick Solar Park | Flintshire, Wales | 72 | One of the oldest large scale farms in the UK |
| 3 | Lyneham Solar Farm | Wiltshire | 69.8 | Combines agriculture and solar production |
| 4 | Llanwern Solar Farm | Gwent, Wales | 75 | Powers nearly 20,000 homes annually |
| 5 | West Raynham Solar Farm | Norfolk | 49.9 | Known for biodiversity friendly design |
| 6 | Owl’s Hatch Solar Park | Kent | 49.9 | Strong local energy community engagement |
| 7 | The Grange Solar Farm | Nottinghamshire | 49.9 | Expanded in 2020 and large corporate contracts |
| 8 | Larks Green Solar Farm | Gloucestershire | 49.9 | Integrated with local grid efficiently |
| 9 | Snarlton Farm Solar | Various | 49.6 | Mid sized farm supporting regional demand |
| 10 | Eveley Farm Solar | Hampshire | 49 | Supports southern England energy supply |
| 11 | Scurf Dyke Solar Farm | East Yorkshire | 80.6 | Includes battery storage for night time use |
| 12 | Burwell Solar Farm | Cambridgeshire | 40 to 50 | Newer farm with innovative PPA deals |
| 13 | South Farm Solar Park | Essex | 40 to 50 | Engages corporate energy users |
| 14 | Gonerby Moor Solar Farm | Lincolnshire | 40 to 50 | Part of a growing cluster of regional farms |
| 15 | Cottam Solar Project | Nottinghamshire | 600 | Future giant, could power 250,000 homes |
| 16 | Gate Burton Solar & Energy Park | Lincolnshire | 500 | Large scale farm with storage potential |
| 17 | Sunnica Energy Farm | Cambridgeshire | 500 | Hybrid solar + storage planned |
| 18 | Heckington Fen Solar Farm | Lincolnshire | 500 | Approved hybrid project |
| 19 | Tillbridge Solar Farm | Lincolnshire | 700 | Expected to be UK’s second largest farm |
| 20 | Botley West Solar Farm | Oxfordshire | 840 | Proposed as the UK’s largest ever |
Note: MW = Megawatt, roughly enough to power 1,000 homes per MW.
Environmental & Community Benefits
Not all solar farms produce the same amount of electricity per acre. Todays solar farms are starting to:
- Plant wildflower meadows to support pollinators.
- Permit sheep grazing to keep land productive for agriculture.
- Provide community ownership or revenue sharing opportunities.
While some feel that using farm land for solar is inappropriate, there are many examples of designs that provide the opportunity to produce energy while providing environmental benefits and preserving farm operations.
Key Statistics on Solar Energy in the UK
| Metric | Figure |
| Solar capacity increase (2025) | +33% vs 2024 |
| Solar meets peak demand | Around 40% |
| Operational farms | Approx. 1,300+ |
| Expected capacity 2030 | 45 to 47 GW |
Frequently Asked Questions About UK Solar Farms
Question 1. What is a solar farm?
Answer. A solar farm is simply an area that has been set aside for solar panels and produces electricity that feeds the local electric grid. They can be very large typically covering tens or hundreds of acres of land.
Question 2. Can solar work in the UK’s cloudy weather?
Answer. There are solar farms in the UK and they do generate electricity since the modern solar panels are able to use anywhere that has diffuse sunlight. As a result, the efficiency of solar panels in the UK is impressive.
Question 3. Do solar farms harm farmland?
Answer. Only some farms are set up to support farming operations, however, many of them are designed to support animals grazing and biodiversity so they can mitigate the negative impacts of their activities on other types of farming.
Question 4. How much electricity can a solar farm generate?
Answer. Very large solar farms such as Cleve Hill generate hundreds of megawatts (MW) of electricity which is enough energy to supply tens of thousands of homes with power. Even farms in the mid-level range contribute a significant amount of power to our electrical grid.
Question 5. Do solar farms store energy?
Answer. New solar farms include battery energy storage systems being installed. Therefore, the electricity that was created can now be used even during times of darkness.
Question 6. Can communities benefit financially?
Answer. Yes, local community councils or non-profit community organisations can receive financial payments for the electricity produced by the solar farms. They also create jobs and local employment opportunities through their involvement in building, operating and maintaining the solar farms.
