Grass Under Solar Panels

The plants also had more nutritional value.

Grass under solar panels.

The researchers planted wheat potatoes celeriac. Tall weeds growing around the installation can create shading which can negatively impact system production. That led to twice as much grass under the arrays as in the unshaded areas. They found that areas under the solar panels had a different microclimate than exposed areas.

Beneath solar panels the seeds of opportunity sprout. The bare ground beneath solar panels near boulder has been planted with grasses and mulched in a test to soften the appearance restore native habitat and protect soil from erosion. Solar shading decreased production 5 3 percent to 19 percent. Farmers also have another option.

On a humid overcast day in central minnesota a dozen researchers crouch in the grass between rows of photovoltaic pv solar panels. The institute elevated 720 solar panels high enough for farm machinery to harvest plants underneath and nearby according to a 2017 press release. Only their bright yellow hard hats are clearly visible above the tall nearly overgrown prarie grasses which are growing exactly as expected. The researchers planted wheat potatoes celeriac and clover grass in the open and under the panels and compared the yields.

They found that the grasses growing in shaded areas under the solar panels were 328 more water efficient and maintained higher soil moisture throughout the heat of summer. Higgins and co author elnaz hassanpour adeh had previously published research showing that solar panels increase agricultural production on dry unirrigated farmland. Weed or vegetation management is particularly important for ground mounted solar systems. Shaded areas were 328 percent more water efficient and maintained higher soil moisture throughout the heat of summer.

Bp s solar subsidiary is on the hunt for. Grazing sheep or cattle on grass grown under solar panels. Lightsource bp is working with a seed company in norfolk to find the most reflective grass type to grow underneath the double sided solar panels.