If solar parks are managed as meadows they could provide valuable habitats for polinators. This is an example of how renewable energy and nature conservation can work together.
New research from Lancaster University shows that simple changes to how solar parks are managed could boost ground-nesting bumble bee populations in the parks and surrounding areas.
Alternative management scenarios that offered varying degrees of resources for bumble bees were examined in the research. The findings indicated that solar park land managed as meadows supports four times as many bumble bees as solar park land managed as turf grass. Another finding was that large, elongated and resource-rich solar parks could boost bumble bee density up to one kilometre outside of the parks themselves, delivering pollinator services to crops in surrounding agricultural land. Farmers who have solar parks on or near their land, could choose to plant pollinator-dependent crops close to these pollinator-dense areas.
The research comes in the midst of what scientists are calling an “insect apocalypse” as the abundance of bugs around the world is falling by 1 to 2 per cent each year.
This decline is largely because of human activities like deforestation, climate change, agriculture, the introduction of competing species, and pollution.
Fears are sometimes expressed that the expansion of photovoltaics will lead to competition with other land uses, such as arable land or nature conservation areas (the “plate or tank debate”). These fears are unfounded from the perspective of nature conservation and environmental protection, especially for areas where energy crops such as maize are currently being cultivated. On the contrary, a considerable increase in value can be achieved here through conversion if it is done right.
Hollie Blaydes, a PhD researcher at Lancaster University stated: “Our findings provide the first quantitative evidence that solar parks could be used as a conservation tool to support and boost pollinator populations. If they are managed in a way that provides resources, solar parks could become valuable bumble bee habitat.”
In the study, in order to understand how solar park management could impact bumble bee density within solar parks and surrounding areas, the researchers used a geographic information system (GIS) to create solar parks of different sizes, shapes and management approaches based on real UK examples in real UK landscapes. This GIS was combined with a state-of-the-art pollinator model called Poll4Pop, which predicted bumble bee density and nest density inside the solar parks and surrounding buffer zones. They then used statistical analyses to investigate differences in bumble bee density and nest density across the different solar parks in the model.
There are barriers to solar parks being managed in ways that benefit bumble bees and other wildlife. For instance, there are costs associated with establishing and managing habitats for pollinators and there are currently no economic incentives for the solar industry to do this. Subsidies within agricultural policy system could provide mechanisms for this.
Blaydes and her team would like their ideal, bee-friendly solar parks to move from model to reality. There are already signs that things are moving in this direction. Solar Energy UK has established a Natural Capital working group. Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewitt stated: “By supporting healthy ecosystems at a local level whilst avoiding climate change-causing emissions from coal and gas power stations, solar PV can play a significant role in the UK’s response to both the climate and biodiversity emergencies.”
Emilia Samuelsson
Source: The Guardian, "Solar parks could be used to boost bumblebee numbers, study suggests", 13 December, last accessed 1 February. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/13/solar-parks-could-be...
