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Scientists conducting a five-year research project in southern Minnesota have observed that the number of insects has tripled near two solar installations built on reclaimed agricultural land. They say the results show how habitat-friendly solar energy could help protect insect populations and improve pollination in nearby agricultural fields.
A research team from Argonne National Laboratory and the US Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has reported that insect levels have tripled in less than five years at two solar facilities built on agricultural land. retired from southern Minnesota.
Native grasses and wildflowers were planted in early 2018 at the two solar installations, operated by Enel Green Power North America. Between August 2018 and August 2022, the research group conducted 358 observation surveys of flowering vegetation and insect communities.
They found that total insect levels tripled, and that native bees multiplied their numbers by 20. The most observed insect groups were beetles, flies and moths. An increase in native plant species was also observed, while pollinators at the solar sites visited and pollinated soybean flowers in adjacent crop fields.
Lee Waltson, a landscape ecologist and environmental scientist who was the lead author of the study, said the research “highlights the relatively rapid responses of the insect community to habitat restoration at solar energy sites.”
“It demonstrates that, if appropriately sited, habitat-friendly solar energy can be a feasible way to safeguard insect populations and can improve pollination services in adjacent agricultural fields,” Waltson said.
According to Argonne National Laboratory, the results suggest that habitat-friendly solar sites could play an important role in conserving biodiversity and mitigating land-use conflicts associated with converting agricultural land for energy production. solar. He noted that this could be especially beneficial for the future development of ground-based solar energy.
However, they warned that more research is needed to understand the viability of habitat-friendly solar energy in different regions and to meet ecological objectives such as the conservation of insects or wildlife species. |
