The financial benefits of making solar arrays pollinator-friendly are substantial and multifaceted, impacting solar developers, farmers, and local communities positively.
Financial Benefits for Solar Developers
- Lower Operation and Maintenance Costs: Pollinator-friendly vegetation under solar arrays costs 80% to 90% less to maintain over ten years compared to turf grass. This is mainly because native plants have robust root systems that reduce runoff and soil erosion, suppress weeds naturally, retain water more effectively, and require minimal mowing (just once a year). They also eliminate the need for fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and aeration, and herbicide use is minimized to spot treatments only.
- Reduced Soil Disturbance and Preservation: Maintaining native vegetation and topsoil on site is less expensive than removing it. This practice preserves the soil’s integrity, contributing to cost savings over time compared to the conventional practice of stripping vegetation and replacing it with gravel or turf treated with herbicides.
Financial Benefits for Farmers and Agricultural Production
- Enhanced Crop Yields Through Better Pollination: Solar arrays planted with pollinator-friendly native species support and increase local pollinator populations such as bees and butterflies. This increased pollination activity can strengthen crop yields on adjacent farmland, which often depends heavily on pollinators for production.
- Economic Gains from Pollinator Services: Retrofitting existing solar farms to support pollinator habitats can generate significant economic benefits. A study analyzing 217 solar farms across the U.S. estimated annual benefits for farmers ranging from $120 million to $264 million. This value comes from increased pollination services that enhance the productivity of nearby pollinator-dependent crops, especially in states like North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, and California.
Broader Economic and Environmental Benefits
- Support for Local Communities and Ecosystems: Pollinator-friendly solar arrays contribute to biodiversity and ecosystem health, which supports agricultural economies and rural communities reliant on farming. Strengthening pollinator populations helps secure long-term agricultural productivity and food security.
- Potential to Reduce Carbon Footprint and Enhance Climate Resilience: Pollinator-friendly vegetation sequesters carbon and improves soil health, which can contribute to climate resilience and reduce carbon emissions associated with mowing and chemical application.
In summary, adopting pollinator-friendly practices in solar array management reduces maintenance costs for developers, significantly benefits nearby farmers through enhanced crop yields and pollination services, and supports broader ecological and community health. This synergy creates an economically attractive and sustainable model for solar farm development, with quantifiable monetary benefits potentially reaching hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/what-are-the-financial-benefits-of-making-solar-arrays-pollinator-friendly/
