Pollinator-friendly solar farms can support bee populations, improve biodiversity, reduce maintenance costs, and provide environmental benefits while generating clean renewable energy.
Solar energy facilities can do more than generate electricity. The land between and around photovoltaic panels can also be managed to support pollinators, improve environmental conditions, and provide additional benefits for nearby farms and communities.
Penn State Extension reports that solar developers can establish pollinator-friendly habitats on portions of these properties. Such habitats generally include native grasses, flowering plants, and other vegetation that provide nectar, pollen, nesting resources and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects.
The approach could help address concerns about declining pollinator populations. NatureServe estimates that about one in five pollinator species faces an elevated risk of extinction. Because many agricultural crops rely on pollinators for reproduction, continued losses could have consequences for both natural ecosystems and food production.
Habitat destruction is among the factors contributing to pollinator declines. Research conducted by Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois found that solar installations managed with pollinator-supporting vegetation had greater bee abundance and a wider range of pollinator species than conventional solar sites.
The research also found increased bee activity in agricultural fields located near solar facilities that included pollinator habitat.
Solar properties may offer another opportunity through beekeeping. Apiaries can be established near a facility's perimeter, allowing bees to forage among flowering plants while giving beekeepers practical access to their colonies.
Honey production could provide an additional agricultural use for land surrounding solar infrastructure.
Pollinator plantings may also reduce some maintenance requirements. Traditional grass cover can require mowing every four to six weeks during the growing season.
Once established, appropriately selected pollinator vegetation can be maintained at roughly 2 to 3 feet, potentially reducing mowing to once or twice a year.
These plantings can provide environmental advantages as well. Deeper plant roots can improve stormwater absorption and reduce runoff, while vegetation may help cool the area around solar panels. Some plants with higher reflective properties could also benefit certain bifacial panels.
Although pollinator habitat requires careful planning and several years of establishment, solar farms can provide a practical opportunity to combine renewable energy production with conservation, agriculture and other productive land uses.
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