The PV-SMaRT project is helping protect or even improve local water quality and habitat at solar farms across the U.S.
pv solar
Global buzz for solar with pollinators and beekeeping
Dual-use solar is buzzing across the globe. Thanks to the education and outreach work of groups around the world—including the Center for Pollinators in Energy at Fresh Energy—global energy companies are actively moving forward with plans to combine solar energy with additional land uses and community benefits.
Case Study: NextEra Energy’s Marshall Solar Array on Prime Farmland
Constructed in 2016, the 62 MW Marshall Solar Energy Project is located on 355 acres of agricultural land in Lyon County, three miles east of Marshall, Minnesota. Partly in response to several visual renderings of the project showing acres of closely mowed suburban-style turfgrass, the proposed project received little support and drew active pushback from residents who were concerned about the loss of prime farmland and how it could affect their property values.
Solar Farm Field Days
Many of Minnesota’s pollinator-friendly solar arrays are in full bloom right now. Check out photos from Rob’s three-day field trip where he captured the best of solar bees, blooms, and butterflies.
