Habitat loss is one of the leading causes of the decline of pollinators like bees, and companies are trying to reverse that trend, as Kate Chappell explains.
Planted alongside 7,000 solar modules over several acres in Kane County, are pesticide-free, native flowering plants providing vegetation for bees, butterflies and other pollinators to thrive.
“We often see birds nesting around the panels. We find a lot of bees’ nests on the panels. We see foxes, smaller wildlife, love this kind of habitat,” said Keith Hevenor, the communications manager for Nexamp, a solar storage company co-headquartered in Chicago.
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Nexamp is one of several solar companies installing pollinator-friendly projects in Illinois as part of an effort to build more robust habitats for the critical components of the world’s agricultural practices.
They work with contractors to design custom seed mixes that include native pollinator vegetation.
“Black Eyed Susan, Yarrow, we’re seeing a whole variety of clovers, daises, fleabane,” said Hevenor.
Agrivoltaics is the dual-use practice of co-locating agricultural activities, including crop growth, livestock grazing, and pollinator habitats with solar photovoltaic power generation on the same land, according to the United States Department of Energy.
The plots require very little maintenance and almost no mowing. The company leases the land from farmers.
According to Hevenor, French Road Solar in Burlington, Illinois is located on a plot of farmland that was “less productive” than the rest.
“So, this is a good way to put that to use and keep the viability of the farm,” he said. “One down season can really hurt a farmer. But in this case, they can count on those lease payments for the long term.”
Planting deep-rooted, native vegetation helps maintain the land for future use, and create a habitat now for pollinators.
Some studies also show pollinating insects can benefit agriculture, increasing the quality and quantity of crop yields and can be useful in pest and disease control.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, as much as 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators to reproduce.
Chicago-based Trajectory Energy partners is another solar company using agrovoltaics. Trajectory has planted 80 “pollinator-friendly” solar sites across the state.
“We are intentionally seeding underneath the solar panels, a native Illinois prairie, so it’s short prairie grasses, and some blooming forbs, so they will be natives that grow three feet or less and stay active all year long so that there’s vegetation under the panels 365,” said Kiersten Sheets, a senior project development manager for Trajectory. “They help with control of water infiltration on the site, it helps with the erosion, it also helps build a better soil base.”
“These projects are in operation for up to 40 years, so that solar field is then taken out of agriculture, like regular row cropping. It doesn’t have any pesticides or herbicides or fertilizers added to it. It’s just maintained as a natural growth site,” she added.
The planting has become a novel way to turn energy sites into habitat conservation.
“As clean energy resources increase, we have to find ways to make sure that they are not carrying on the legacy of the past of our fossil fuel,” said Hevenor. “It’s creating employment opportunities. It’s created investment in local communities. It’s providing new tax revenue in the local communities, So, we really feel like it’s an important way to give back while addressing some of the issues that we’re facing here in the U.S.”
