Soil Association certification is often described as compatible with farm solar. This page quotes what the standards actually say, read on 29 October 2026, and flags what they do not.
What the Soil Association standards say about energy
The Soil Association Organic Standards for Great Britain, Farming and growing, version 1.8, were published on 18 May 2026. Clause SA GB 2.3.3, "Making responsible use of resources", on page 75, says: "You must use energy, water and other natural resources responsibly. You must reduce or minimise your use of non-renewable resources and off-farm inputs."
The guidance under that clause asks a farm to identify what type of energy it uses ("renewables, electricity, gas, CO2") and for which purposes, to record the use, and to minimise it, for example by insulating, ventilating and draught-proofing buildings.
A text search of the 195-page document found no clause that names solar panels, photovoltaics or on-farm generation. The standards therefore neither prohibit nor require rooftop PV by name: the energy clause is about responsible use and recording. If your certifier has a view on an array, get it in writing.
| Point on this page | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Standards version 1.8 published 18 May 2026 (GB farming and growing) | Soil Association Organic Standards for Great Britain, Farming and growing | 29 Oct 2026 |
| SA GB 2.3.3: use energy responsibly; reduce non-renewable resources and off-farm inputs (page 75) | same document, SA GB 2.3.3 | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Guidance asks farms to record the type of energy used (renewables, electricity, gas, CO2) and how they minimise use | same document, SA GB 2.3.3 guidance | 29 Oct 2026 |
| No clause naming solar, photovoltaic or on-farm generation found by text search of the 195-page document | Soil Association, Our standards | 29 Oct 2026 |
What to ask before you plan around the scheme
- Ask your assessor, certification body or buyer in writing whether a rooftop array changes anything in your audit; do not assume it earns credit.
- Keep meter readings and generation records: they are the evidence any energy or carbon question will ask for.
- Treat the array as a building and electrical project first: roof condition (solar panels on asbestos cement farm roofs), fire design (solar panel fire risk on farm buildings), insurer (solar panel insurance for farm buildings) and planning (planning permission for solar on farm buildings).
For the numbers behind any array, start with the farm solar cost guide and grants and funding; for the roof, solar panel weight and roof loading.
Common questions
Can an organic farm fit solar panels on its buildings?
The standards read name no prohibition on solar. Clause SA GB 2.3.3 asks for responsible energy use and recording. Confirm with your certifier before you sign a contract.
Does Soil Association certification require renewable energy?
Not by name. SA GB 2.3.3 requires responsible use of energy and minimising non-renewable resources, and asks farms to record the type of energy used.
Other farm assurance and sustainability pages
The same sourced format for the other schemes farms are asked about: