Solar and Pollinator Gardens

Solar arrays can take up a significant amount of space, but compared to other types of development, they offer ample opportunity to use that land for more than just solar. One such use is to create Pollinator habitats in the abundant space between the panels and in the setbacks between the array and other properties. Pollinator habitats incorporate a mix of grasses and flowers that support a wide range of pollinator species. These pollinator habitats can benefit developers, the community, local agriculture, and the ecosystem.

Why the Need for Pollinator Habitats?

Pollinator species are in trouble. A recent study by NatureServe ,a non-profit conservation organization, found that about one-fifth of pollinator species are at elevated risk of extinction.¹ This loss of biodiversity can be incredibly damaging to natural ecosystems. It is also a threat to our agricultural economies across the US. According to the USDA about 35% of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators to reproduce. ² These crops include apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, melon, peaches, and potatoes, to name a few.

Loss of habitat is one of the leading causes of pollinator species deficit and a threat to our agriculture here in Pennsylvania and across the US. One study by Argonne National Lab, a federally funded research and development center, showed that incorporating pollinator habitats on solar sites increased pollinator species fourfold and increased bee abundance twentyfold. The study also found that implementing pollinator habitats resulted in twice as many bees visiting nearby agricultural fields.³ Using the land left open in solar arrays can be a great way to create more habitat for pollinators to thrive while providing much-needed energy to our electrical grid.

Along with supporting agriculture, there is also the opportunity to use a pollinator habitat to support the dual use of apiaries on solar sites for honey production. Apiaries have successfully been employed at multiple sites, taking advantage of on-site pollinator habitats. Usually, the easiest way to accommodate beekeepers is to place apiaries just outside the security fence, allowing easy access for beekeepers while still being close enough for the bees to benefit from the habitat.

How Can Developers Benefit from Pollinator Habitats?

Pollinator habitats can support a solar site in a few ways. First, traditional grasses require mowing every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season to properly maintain the solar site. Pollinator habitats can be harder to establish upfront, generally taking a few years of careful management, but once pollinator habitats are established, they can be designed to grow to only 2 or 3 feet, which is below the height of the solar panels in most Pennsylvania developments. These habitats can also suppress weeds well, reducing the need to mow to once or twice a year. Reducing the constant need for mowing can be a cost-saver over the 25+ years of a project.⁴ Pollinator habitats will also generally have a variety of plants with deeper root systems than traditionally used ground cover, resulting in better runoff and stormwater control onsite.

Pollinator habitat cover can also benefit the solar panel systems too. Solar panels generally operate better when kept cooler; increased vegetation, such as Pollinator habitats, can help keep them closer to optimal operating temperatures. Some Pollinator habitats can also include plant species with higher albedo, or the ability to reflect light, which can boost the performance of bifacial panels.⁵

Using solar sites for pollinator habitats can present challenges but also offer a great opportunity to create benefits for the environment, the community, and the solar developer.

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