UK’s largest landowner to accelerate green energy projects

The UK’s largest landowner and Great British Energy are joining forces to enable the out of more renewable projects.

Forestry England, which manages the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests covering over 250,000 hectares, will be able to develop more projects under new statutory powers.

Forestry England and Great British Energy are now exploring opportunities to work in partnership to deliver rooftop solar at scale across the public estate and other similar renewable energy projects.

Income generated will  boost the organisation’s environmental objectives such as tree-planting, woodland management and supporting wildlife.

Forestry England Chief Executive Michael Seddon said: “Generating significantly more renewable energy in the nation’s forests is a very exciting opportunity for Forestry England. We have been successfully integrating small scale renewable energy projects for many years with over 40 installations already, mostly solar projects such as rooftop solar installations.

“These new powers bring opportunities to hugely increase what we can do to support the UK’s energy security with electricity generated being connected to the grid; reduce our own reliance on fossil fuels; and bring extra money for us to reinvest in caring for the nation’s forests.”