Reform-Led Councils Endanger 6GW Solar & Battery Projects

Welcome, Net Zero News readers,

In a notable turn of events, the recent local elections held in May 2025 have raised significant concerns about the future of clean-energy initiatives in the UK. Reform UK, a hard-right populist party, has made substantial gains by seizing control of ten English councils. This victory could potentially jeopardise an impressive 6 gigawatts (GW) of new clean-energy capacity, as highlighted by a recent analysis from Carbon Brief.

With their newfound power, the leaders of Reform UK have made it clear that they will employ “every lever” at their disposal to impede the progress of new wind, solar, and battery projects within the areas they now govern. According to Carbon Brief’s analysis, these ten councils oversee a remarkable 5,076 megawatts (MW) of battery schemes, 786 MW of solar energy, and 56 MW of wind energy. This substantial amount of clean energy capacity is now at risk due to the political climate.

While Reform UK has pledged to “ban” battery systems outright, it is essential to note that councils do not have direct authority over these projects, which are ultimately governed by local planning authorities. Nonetheless, experts in planning have indicated that the party could indeed influence local planning decisions, which could lead to significant delays and challenges for renewable energy projects in these regions.

Despite these potential hindrances, some planning lawyers suggest that the overall impact on the UK’s clean power targets may be limited. The scepticism surrounding human-induced climate change expressed by Reform UK’s leaders, along with their outright opposition to the UK’s net-zero target, poses a larger question about the direction of energy policy in the country. By pledging to “scrap net-zero” if they gain national control, the party has positioned itself against a critical strategy aimed at combating climate change, which scientists deem essential for preventing further global warming.

Critics argue that the party’s assertions about freeing up public funds for tax cuts and welfare programmes overlook the fact that the vast majority of investments needed to achieve net-zero targets are expected to come from the private sector, not government coffers. This misunderstanding has been widely dismissed by economists, who highlight the economic advantages of transitioning away from fossil fuels, including the prevention of climate-related disasters.

As it stands, Reform UK holds only five seats in Parliament; however, its recent successes in local elections and favourable polling have amplified its presence in UK politics, giving it newfound authority in various regions. To better understand the potential ramifications of these local victories on clean energy initiatives, Carbon Brief conducted an in-depth analysis of the ten councils where Reform UK secured control, including Durham, Kent, and Derbyshire, along with two mayoralties.

The aftermath of the election saw Richard Tice, Reform MP and deputy leader, assert that the party would utilise “every lever” available to obstruct renewable energy projects in the areas under their jurisdiction. A focal point of this commitment is Lincolnshire, which houses Tice’s constituency of Boston and Skegness, now governed by a Reform-led council and mayor.

This rural county has emerged as a hotspot for several large-scale solar project proposals, which have faced strong opposition from certain local factions, raising concerns about their potential impact on the local countryside and agricultural lands. However, it’s crucial to recognise that these views do not represent the majority. Survey data consistently indicates that the public across the UK overwhelmingly supports solar energy and other renewables, even when those projects are situated in their communities.

A further analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit underscores that by rejecting net-zero-related projects, Reform UK could jeopardise thousands of jobs and millions in investments in areas like Lincolnshire. The stakes are high as the party’s actions could ripple through the economy, affecting local supply chains and community benefit schemes tied to renewable projects.

In total, approximately 5,862 MW of solar and storage capacity is currently pending approval from local planning authorities across the ten councils now under Reform UK’s control. This includes a collection of smaller solar farms, each with a capacity of less than 50 MW, which necessitate local planning approval. It’s worth noting that the threshold for local planning approval is set to increase from 50 MW to 100 MW in 2026.

Projects exceeding this capacity threshold will undergo the “nationally significant infrastructure planning” (NSIP) process, whereby the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, holds the authority to grant or deny development consent orders. While local planning authorities (LPAs) are expected to adhere to the national planning policy framework (NPPF), the influence of Reform-led councils could still sway outcomes in these critical decisions.

Gareth Phillips, a partner at Pinsent Masons law firm and an expert in renewable energy planning, emphasises that while county councils do not determine planning applications directly, they possess considerable influence. He elucidates that councils are crucial consultees, required to respond to statutory consultations, thereby affording Reform’s elected members the opportunity to advocate for opposing planning applications. This could lead to campaigns against renewable proposals, potentially granting credibility to dissenting views.

Moreover, county councils could introduce new strategic planning guidelines, which may further affect the approval process for renewable projects. Phillips notes that while local planning authorities must consider broader policy frameworks, the perspectives of Reform-led councils could still have weight in decision-making.

Battery energy-storage projects, on the other hand, do not currently face a capacity cap for processing by local planning authorities due to regulatory changes made in 2020. However, many storage projects co-located with solar developments will be evaluated under the NSIP process, meaning councils will lack the power to obstruct their construction.

Carbon Brief’s analysis delves into the projects that have submitted planning requests in the ten councils governed by Reform UK, utilising data from Solar Energy UK’s SolarPulse database for solar and storage, alongside relevant onshore wind projects from the government’s renewable energy planning database. Notably, there is 1,866 MW of proposed solar capacity awaiting planning permission in Lincolnshire, representing the most extensive pipeline across the regions in question.

Much of this capacity is subject to national-level approval, given that it exceeds the NSIP threshold. Nevertheless, Lincolnshire still has a significant amount of solar-power projects awaiting local planning authority decisions, totalling around 166 MW. The county’s prominence in solar power development stems from its historical connection to several large-scale coal-fired power plants, such as West Burton, which have been decommissioned as part of the UK’s transition away from coal. This shift has allowed for greater capacity for new generators to connect to the grid compared to other regions facing more constrained systems.

Overall, the majority of proposed capacity at risk pertains to battery storage, which has witnessed a surge in applications and installations in recent years. As of December 2024, there was 5,013 MW of operational battery storage capacity and an additional 5,115 MW under construction, as reported by trade association RenewableUK. Furthermore, 40,223 MW had secured planning approval, with another 77,354 MW in development.

While the potential rejection of nearly 6 GW of solar and storage capacity in Reform-controlled councils could pose challenges, it is essential to consider the broader context. Even if local planning authorities were to deny all these projects, the overall impact on the UK’s renewable energy targets would likely be limited. For instance, the proposed 786 MW of solar capacity could generate approximately 757 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity, sufficient to power around 280,000 homes, representing about 1% of the national total. In contrast, if these solar farms were to be replaced by gas-fired power generation, it would result in an increase of 0.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, a figure that equates to less than a tenth of 1% of the UK’s total emissions.

Additionally, the potential 757 GWh of solar power could help displace approximately £60 million worth of gas each year, based on current wholesale prices. The financial implications extend to private investment as well, with each MW of solar attracting around £1 million of investment. Thus, the 786 MW of capacity would translate to approximately £786 million flowing into the Reform-led counties. Similarly, battery schemes, which also require around £1 million of investment per MW, indicate that the potential 5,076 MW of capacity could represent an additional £5 billion at risk under the governance of Reform UK.

In total, the investment at stake for solar and storage projects could approach £6 billion. While a significant amount of potential new capacity is proposed in Reform-led council areas, it is important to acknowledge that various factors could also lead to project failures unrelated to political influences.

Research from consultancy Cornwall Insight indicates that the current battery storage “connection queue” is double the grid’s requirements for 2030. This suggests an oversupply of projects seeking access to the electricity network, meaning the UK is well-positioned to meet its 2030 storage targets even if some proposed battery projects falter as a result of Reform-led opposition. Ed Porter, global director of industry for battery analysts Modo Energy, asserts that with over 50 GW of battery projects already holding planning consent, the UK can still achieve its clean-power targets, provided the build-out rates for storage projects are feasible.

The most significant consequence of refusals by Reform-led councils would be the obstruction of profitable projects that could contribute to reducing consumer costs and curtailing carbon emissions, Porter adds. Nevertheless, uncertainty remains regarding the approval outcomes of these projects even without the influence of Reform UK. Data from Solar Media Market Research reveals that the local authority refusal rate for proposed solar projects reached nearly 25% in 2024, the highest recorded rate, compared to 15% in 2022 and 20% in 2023. However, it is noteworthy that the majority of projects denied by local authorities still achieve approval. In the past five years, about 80% of projects that went to appeal were eventually sanctioned, and thus far in 2025, all 12 solar projects that appealed have received approval.

In 2024, battery energy-storage refusals spiked to 22%, though this figure has decreased to 9% in 2025. Even if Reform UK-led councils cannot fully block clean-energy developments, the party’s commitment to “fight [developers] every step of the way” could still complicate the process. One of the primary methods of hindrance may involve pushing projects through the appeals process, extending the duration needed to secure planning permission by as much as a year.

Recent updates to the grid connections queue have introduced strict delivery deadlines for obtaining planning permission, meaning that if a project faces delays due to appeals, it risks missing its deadline and losing its grid connection agreement. Furthermore, as the capacity limit for NSIPs is scheduled to change in December, more projects—specifically solar projects between 50 MW and 100 MW—will require approval from local planning authorities, further increasing the number of projects susceptible to Reform UK’s influence.

Despite the challenges posed by Reform-led councils, it is important to highlight that the overall landscape for renewable energy in the UK remains promising. The substantial capacity awaiting planning permission in Reform-controlled areas is dwarfed by the available options nationwide, ensuring that the UK can still meet its clean energy targets. Planning lawyer Phillips optimistically concludes that while Reform-led councils may create a “nuisance” for renewable energy initiatives in the planning process, their influence is likely to be limited. He reassures readers, stating, “I’m not concerned about this because of the weight of policy support there is for those projects, which should serve to mitigate the influence Reform could otherwise have.”

As the UK navigates the complexities of its energy transition, the interplay between local politics and renewable energy development will undoubtedly be a focal point for environmental advocates and policymakers alike. The coming years will be crucial in determining how the landscape evolves and whether the nation can stay on course toward its ambitious net-zero goals.