Solar farm glare could cause Red Arrows jets to crash, Conservative MP claims

New solar farms could cause the Red Arrows to crash, a Conservative MP has claimed, as she said light reflecting on them could dazzle RAF pilots.

Dr Caroline Johnson (Sleaford and North Hykeham) hit out at plans for large solar farms in her rural Lincolnshire constituency, arguing they were inappropriate as they could hinder farmland productivity in the area.

However Dr Johnson also said solar farms could be problematic for pilots flying from air bases which had played critical roles in the Second World War, and another which is a key training base for aircrew.

A senior RAF source told the PA news agency that this was not the case, and that one of the airfields named by Dr Johnson did not have a runway.

Leading a debate in the House of Commons on the renewable energy source, she said: “I also ask the minister to give due consideration to the three RAF bases local to my constituency, RAF Waddington, RAF Cranwell and RAF Digby. Glint and glare from reflective panels will cause problems for pilots flying over these areas.

“Our newest pilots undergo basic training at Cranwell, and RAF Waddington is home to the Red Arrows. It is a huge joy for me and many of my constituents to watch the nation’s iconic display team practice the loop-the-loop and roll into turns at high speeds.

“But the miles and miles of aligned panels creating glint and glare could lead to disaster.”

Labour MP Sarah Russell (Congleton) intervened and asked Dr Johnson to clarify.

She said: “Does (she) agree with me that pilots seem to fly throughout our nation and many others already, despite there being widespread solar panels in, for instance, Spain, where there is more sunshine than here. So it seems unlikely that they’ll be unlikely to manage in her constituency.”

Dr Johnson replied: “I wonder if the average jumbo jet flying to Heathrow does a loop-the-loop on the way in?”

She continued to raise concerns, this time about the impact on the home of UK signals unit, the Joint Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities Group, which provides support to the Army, RAF and Royal Navy.

She said: “RAF Digby is the headquarters of the Joint Cyber and Electromagnetic Activities Group. Any interference with these defence estates could cause significant harm.”

A senior RAF source who had flown fast jets for more than two decades said: “At no point in my flying career did I ever have any problems with solar panels. Clearly, they weren’t as prolific as they are now around the UK, but even so.

“If you were putting something big, shiny and tall on the approach lane to a major airfield like Heathrow or any of our MOD operating bases, then clearly the Ministry of Defence or the Civil Aviation Authority would be interested and put a request in for more information, and if we weren’t happy, we would oppose it.

“In general terms, solar panels across fields in Lincolnshire are not going to affect our pilots, our training pilots, the Red Arrows or anybody else.”

Speaking from the frontbench, Liberal Democrat MP Edward Morello (West Dorset) said he could “write a whole other speech debunking some of the things that were said today”, adding: “Any solar farm development requires a glint and glare report before it gets approved if it’s anywhere near an air force base or an airport.

Energy minister Michael Shanks said: “These solar panels are designed to absorb light, not reflect it, and… glint and glare is considered within the planning process already. So it is one of the factors that is taken into account.”

Five large solar farms have already been approved for Lincolnshire, with more already in the pipeline.

But there has been criticism that it will vastly reduce the amount of high quality agricultural land.

Dr Johnson said: “Lincolnshire is the nation’s bread basket and produces 30% of the nation’s vegetables.

“The land in the county is also more productive than the UK average, with the wheat harvest over a difficult last five years 25% above the UK average and much, much more productive than global averages. So this is land we can least afford to lose.”

RAF Waddington, RAF Cranwell and the Ministry of Defence have been contacted for comment.