Forestry England to host solar and wind from 27 Feb

New statutory powers came into force on Friday 27 February 2026 that let renewable electricity projects proceed across land managed by Forestry England. Power generated can be used on site and sold to the national grid. The government frames this as growing home‑grown clean energy and funding tree‑planting within net zero plans, in a GOV.UK press release published on 28 February 2026. (gov.uk)

Forestry England is the country’s largest land manager, caring for around 1,500 woods and forests across more than 250,000 hectares. For a sense of scale, that’s space where solar on roofs and car parks, and carefully sited wind on open ground, can add up. (forestryengland.uk)

For you and your students, the simple picture is this: public land can power public purposes. A visitor centre might run on solar from its own roof while surplus electricity flows into the grid. When we say ‘home‑grown’, we mean projects built here that cut imports and keep skills and value local.

Ministers stress there will be no net loss of woodland. Where trees are permanently removed to make space for infrastructure, compensatory planting must replace that area so the overall estate does not shrink. This is your moment to examine with learners how replacement planting compares with protecting older, more complex habitats. (gov.uk)

Every scheme still has to pass through the planning system. That includes environmental surveys and stakeholder consultation, and some projects may also require the Secretary of State’s consent alongside the usual local permissions. In short: checks on wildlife, heritage and views come first. (gov.uk)

Forestry England and the publicly owned Great British Energy are exploring a partnership to deliver rooftop solar at scale across the public estate, and to develop similar projects that cut emissions and costs. Think schools, workshops and depots generating power where it’s used. (gov.uk)

If you’re hearing of Great British Energy for the first time, it is a state‑owned clean‑energy investor created in 2025, now led by chief executive Dan McGrail and based in Aberdeen. Its job is to invest in and co‑develop projects with partners like Forestry England. (gov.uk)

Forestry England says it already runs more than 40 small renewable installations, mostly rooftop solar, and that new powers will let it scale up with grid‑connected generation. Less reliance on fossil fuels means more money to reinvest in protecting and improving the nation’s forests. (gov.uk)

Quick explainer for the classroom: the ‘public forest estate’ is land the state looks after for people, nature and timber. ‘Statutory powers’ are legal permissions that set the boundaries for what can be built. ‘No net loss’ promises that any woodland removed is matched by new planting.

What this means for you as a visitor or neighbour is practical. On‑site power can run cafés, workshops and EV chargers, while any extra electricity is sold to the grid. The government says income will be ploughed back into tree‑planting, woodland management and support for wildlife. (gov.uk)

If you’re teaching planning, track a project from early site studies and community conversations through to a planning application, independent scrutiny, consent and the engineering steps of grid connection. Ask at each stage: who is consulted, what evidence is tested, and how are harms avoided or reduced?

Officials say more detail will follow later in 2026. As that lands, we’ll be looking for clear maps of proposed sites, transparent biodiversity baselines and community benefit plans that show how local people share in the gains from public‑land power. (gov.uk)