Opinion – Why—And How—Moving Solar Generation Beyond Panels On A Field Is A Win For The Industry, Communities, And The Environment

When people picture a solar farm, they often envision a sea of panels, a chain link fence, and maybe a patch of grass. While that model got us far, the industry is advancing beyond just panels on a field—to new practices that can deliver a better end solution for the land, the environment, and communities.

The first practice is agrivoltaics: creating dual use of solar fields to not only farm the sun but also provide land to graze for cattle and farming. Now a new practice—ecovoltaics—is gaining traction. Ecovoltaic solar projects support and aim to improve the existing biodiversity on a project site by incorporating eco-friendly considerations into every part of project planning—such as supporting native pollinators with curated seed mixes, building bee houses, planning for stormwater runoff, and erecting wildlife-friendly fencing.

My company, CleanChoice Energy, actively uses ecovolatic practices in our projects. These practices can be retrofitted into an acquired solar project or incorporated from the start, but it’s important to understand a couple of realities: solar farms often face scrutiny about how eco-friendly they really are, and not all solar projects are equal. Here are a few considerations to help ensure future projects will be effective and safe for the environment and received positively by the local community.

Do your homework. Identify important issues in the community that need to be addressed from the onset. For example, communities can be concerned about the local environment, the health and safety of people and animals, and the thought of transitioning land—often farmland—into something that operates very differently.

Engage stakeholders to craft a bespoke approach. Connect with local farmers, wildflower conservationists, bee conservationists, wildlife experts, and the community. Form long-term partnerships to support all of these efforts.

Factor it into your costs. While the implementation of agrivoltaics and ecovoltaics requires additional planning and costs, it is scalable—especially when considered at the onset of project development. Ecovoltaics should be considered as a capital expense—during the construction, operations, and maintenance stage—with a plan for long-term operating expenses. Retrofitting can be more costly and challenging.

Look for opportunities to give back to the community. Being a good steward of the environment includes the humans who live there too! Establish scholarships to encourage students to study renewable energy or the environment, partner with local universities to benefit from studying these projects, or team up with K-12 schools for field trips to educate the next generation.

All of us in the solar industry have a role to play in transforming perceptions around solar projects. We know that our work is critical to combatting climate change, while also supporting ever-increasing energy demand. Embracing biodiversity in solar projects, adopting innovative solutions, and bringing added value to communities should be the new baseline standards in our solar playbook.