Pollinator-friendly Solar Solutions

Image by National Renewable Energy Lab from Flickr

With the looming threat of climate change, many nations are attempting to find clean energy solutions. The United States has been researching solar power as an alternate method to burning fossil fuels for creating electricity. There are many benefits to using solar energy, but solar panels tend to take up a lot of space, leaving numerous plots of land unused. To combat the waste of space, scientists have developed new advancements to maximize profits, both fiscally and environmentally.

Advancements in agricultural technology have led to the introduction of cover crops, wildflowers, and food crops being grown underneath solar panels as “pollinator-friendly solar,” solutions.  “Pollinator-friendly solar” solutions are defined as planting a diverse range of native species to encourage the repopulation of crucial pollinators such as bees and butterflies (“Prairie Solar”). The population of bees and butterflies have dropped significantly in recent years, leaving “25 percent [of the native bee populations] at risk of extinction,” (Helmer). Plants are reliant on pollinators to fertilize and grow their species. Without pollinators, the world’s food supply would become nonexistent (Helmer). By increasing the natural food source and habitat for pollinators, scientists predict that the population of bees and butterflies will increase.  The space underneath the solar panels will act as a safe place for crucial insect populations to thrive. There are also further benefits for farmers. 

Image by National Renewable Energy Lab from Flickr

Farmers are able to gain income from a variety of crops grown underneath the panels, so no space is wasted.  The solar panels provide power to the farm and provide additional income from the excess production of electricity produced by the panels. Solar panels create a perfect environment for plants to grow, and they reduce stress on the plants by preventing too much sunlight from reaching them. The relationship between plants and solar panels is mutually beneficial. The plants use less water when they are grown underneath solar panels, and they sweat, allowing them to cool down the solar panels as well.  Crops grown underneath solar panels have been shown to achieve about the same, if not greater yields, than crops grown in open fields with traditional farming methods (Simon). The substantial benefits of solar panels and pollinator-friendly solar solutions encourage farmers to secure extra money while benefiting the environment. 

Reboot Reforestation is currently researching and implementing ways to expand pollinator-friendly solar.  Pollinator friendly solar solutions create micro-environments to protect plants from the harsh sun and humidity brought on by climate change.  Reboot Reforestation utilizes seedball technology to protect the growth of seeds, also encouraging the growth of native plants to combat climate change. 

Works Cited

Helmer, Jodi. “Solar Farms Shine a Ray of Hope on Bees and Butterflies.” Scientific American, 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/solar-farms-shine-a-ray-of-hope-on-bees-and-

butterflies/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2022.

“Prairie Solar.” Rural Solar Stories, https://ruralsolarstories.org/farm-friendly/prairie-solar/. 

Accessed 13 Mar. 2022.

Simon, Matt. “Growing Crops Under Solar Panels? Now There’s a Bright Idea.” Wired, 

https://www.wired.com/story/growing-crops-under-solar-panels-now-theres-a-bright-idea

/. Accessed 13 Mar. 2022.