Should solar farms and nature work in harmony?

[ZZman]

Been reading articles of solar farms being used to also grow crops between and under the panels, and a big study where they planted lots of native plants and they saw a huge increase in insect diversity including honey and native bees.

Should they incorporate both nature and solar together if possible for the most benefit?

I think it is a great idea.

 

[Jetronic]

Not just solar farms imo.... much more available spaces should be used to grow native plants and weeds to restore diversity. Especially away from populated centers so the wildlife doesn't end up being killed in homes.

 

[cptbarkey]

If you are going to make a post with this type of content, including the link would be helpful for others to agree or disagree or contribute with your opinion.

 

[demarpaint]

They take up a lot of space, so if it can be utilized to grow crops or something else useful, why not.

 

[ZZman]

If you are going to make a post with this type of content, including the link would be helpful for others to agree or disagree or contribute with your opinion.

At Solar Farms Planted with Native Vegetation, Insects Flourish

e360.yale.edu

 

[ZZman]

If you are going to make a post with this type of content, including the link would be helpful for others to agree or disagree or contribute with your opinion.

Largest Farm to Grow Crops Under Solar Panels Proves To Be A Bumper Crop For Agrivoltaic Land Use — AGRITECTURE

This agrivoltaic farm generates enough to power 300 private homes, and grows tomatoes, turnips, carrots, squash, beets, lettuce, kale, chard, and peppers.

www.agritecture.com

 

[skyactiv]

I have no problem it it replaces fields growing field corn used for producing ethanol.

 

[Astro14]

When I was a kid, much of my home town in Connecticut was covered with Tobacco farms - cheesecloth was stretched over acres of fields to grow the tobacco in the shade. “Connecticut shade grown Tobacco” was prized as material for cigar wrappers. The land is all subdivisions now.

Seems to me that the solar farms provide a perfect opportunity to bring back the tobacco fields!

 

[Jetronic]

They take up a lot of space, so if it can be utilized to grow crops or something else useful, why not.

Crops don't help with biodiversity at all, it's better to just let nature do it's thing. Or jump start it by planting/sowing weeds that should be in that location

 

[demarpaint]

Crops don't help with biodiversity at all, it's better to just let nature do it's thing. Or jump start it by planting/sowing weeds that should be in that location

As long as they're doing something useful, and 'green' with the space why not.

 

[Kira]

In an ideal world, sure.
Farming equipment routed in and amongst rows of solar collectors might invite crashes.
Who wouldn't be for growing varied plants around the bases of panels? Tending said diversity would require people and machines.
Get to work on establishing experimental trials involving land owners' and lessees' (power companies) desires vs. those of the biodiversity-oriented plant growers etc.
Just watching out for damage will be intricate and maybe expensive.

Start with small scale and involve community groups which will actually care. In this era of 'worker shortages' it'll be interesting to see who shows up to sow various plants for the bees.
Again, I'm all for this but heavy economics (equipment/people management/security/insurance) seems always to be needed to get anything going.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I don't have a problem at all with solar farms and it appears they are a dual purpose in this case. It's kind of like a wind farm with corn or other crops growing around it.

 

[GMFan]

Bees and insects are critical to food production. If it helps with their populations and diversity and doesn’t cause other major unforeseen issues, why not?

Maybe a brighter mind can tell me, but I’ve been curious lately about energy storage to store energy from solar. I’ve wondered if it was feasible to run pumps off solar power to pump water to a higher gravity to a large body of water during the day, and then at night drain the body of water to use hydro turbines. I’m curious what ways (other than batteries which are an environmental dosaster) we could store solar power to generate electricity at night. Using gravity just seems like endless possible opportunities for energy storage.

 

[The_Eric]

As long as they're doing something useful, and 'green' with the space why not.

I think that's the point that so many miss.. Biodiversity IS useful. Just because it's not corn or beans or wheat, doesn't meant that it's useless.

We really need far more biodiversity in our world as we've destroyed so much of it in the name of progress, expansion and profit - much to the detriment of the natural flora and fauna. It's called an ecoSYSTEM for a reason.

 

[demarpaint]

I think that's the point that so many miss.. Biodiversity IS useful. Just because it's not corn or beans or wheat, doesn't meant that it's useless.

We really need far more biodiversity in our world as we've destroyed so much of it in the name of progress, expansion and profit - much to the detriment of the natural flora and fauna. It's called an ecoSYSTEM for a reason.

Yes, and leaving a solar farm alone and not utilize the area to be 'green' is counter initiative and wasteful, imo.

 

[IndyIan]

In some areas, they graze sheep to keep the grass/shrubbery down. But the lamb market is pretty small. A problem with almost any crop is the dust created on harvest, and maneuvering between delicate panels. Maybe a sheep farm that does grass sileage as its not super dusty dry when collected and the sheep can go under and around the panels without damaging them.

 

[Astro14]

Bees and insects are critical to food production. If it helps with their populations and diversity and doesn’t cause other major unforeseen issues, why not?

Maybe a brighter mind can tell me, but I’ve been curious lately about energy storage to store energy from solar. I’ve wondered if it was feasible to run pumps off solar power to pump water to a higher gravity to a large body of water during the day, and then at night drain the body of water to use hydro turbines. I’m curious what ways (other than batteries which are an environmental dosaster) we could store solar power to generate electricity at night. Using gravity just seems like endless possible opportunities for energy storage.

That’s probably the most efficient way to store it on a very large scale - pump it up when the sun is shining, run it through a turbine when it is not - but you need the topography to make it work.

 

[Snagglefoot]

The farming lobby in Alberta is against taking good agricultural land out of production. The largest solar array in Alberta, the Travers solar facility covers 5 square miles of scrubby grazing land. The dirt underneath would have to have a lot of compost added and its difficult to maneuver underneath. It would also need heavy irrigation. I don't think anyone could make any money off it. Maybe a Hutterite colony could make a go of it but even they prefer heavily mechanized farming.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

When I was a kid, much of my home town in Connecticut was covered with Tobacco farms - cheesecloth was stretched over acres of fields to grow the tobacco in the shade. “Connecticut shade grown Tobacco” was prized as material for cigar wrappers. The land is all subdivisions now.

Seems to me that the solar farms provide a perfect opportunity to bring back the tobacco fields!

As a teen in the 1960's my mother worked those fields in the summer.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Been reading articles of solar farms being used to also grow crops between and under the panels, and a big study where they planted lots of native plants and they saw a huge increase in insect diversity including honey and native bees.

Should they incorporate both nature and solar together if possible for the most benefit?

I think it is a great idea.

My only concern is with regards to growing crops. If the panels are severely damaged what happens to the crops underneath them? Besides what crops are we talking about anyways? I ask because mechanized agriculture usually entails large equipment for planting/harvesting.