The British Photovoltaic Industry Association (BPIA) has released a study on the attitudes of the British public towards the development of photovoltaic (PV) projects, which found that the majority of people living near PV power plants support the technology.

Overall, 42% of the people in the vicinity of existing, proposed or under construction PV power plants strongly supported the development of PV power plants, while only 1% expressed strong opposition.

The report is based on an annual survey carried out by consultancy Copper Consultancy, which shows the popularity of photovoltaic power plants in the UK, said Gareth Simkins, author of the report and senior communications advisor at the UK Photovoltaic Industry Association. Overall, 42% of people in the vicinity of an existing, proposed or under construction PV plant were strongly in favor of developing a PV plant, while only 1% were strongly opposed.

As many as 94% of respondents were either supportive or neutral towards the development of PV systems, and the survey also found that PV farms are becoming more popular over time.

During the development phase, however, support for PV projects dropped to 17% among people living near them, but rose to 61.5% once the PV projects were in operation.

The study claims, "This tells us that uncertainty about the development of a PV project leads to skepticism on the part of the population, and that it is important to provide them with promises or assurances at this stage." The report also states that PV plant developers must act responsibly and involve local communities.

Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of the British Photovoltaic Industry Association, said, "It is clear that bashing the impact of PV plants will not get the votes that some politicians think it will, and as a result, the current UK government has been much more positive about PV plants than its predecessor. Only very few have given some politicians the impression that PV power stations are unpopular."

Conservative MPs from Lincolnshire and nearby areas recently held a debate in the UK Parliament about planning for PV systems, with many complaining about the number of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) being applied for in their constituencies.

Sam Cranston, Head of Energy Infrastructure at Copper Consultancy, which commissioned the study, added: "Since we first carried out our research into public attitudes to PV projects in 2022, we have seen an increase in the number of large-scale PV projects planned for installation. While we expected to see a shift in public attitudes at the time, this report finds a refreshing continuity in popular support for PV projects, while tracking what matters most to the public and the perception gaps that still need to be bridged."

The report highlights that the majority of the population is not aware of the benefits of PV plants for biodiversity, with 54% of the population unaware that PV plants provide a net biodiversity benefit.

And another of their perception gaps is the understanding that PV plants need to be built near grid infrastructure, with only 7% of respondents citing this as a major factor.