Growing Grass Under Solar Panels

Walking past one of the solar arrays on campus one day biological and ecological engineering professor chad higgins saw that green grass was growing in the array s shade.

Growing grass under solar panels.

If the sheep weren t here the grass would be growing to about this height which would create a problem for the solar panels because the solar panels are moving in order to capture the sun. The institute elevated 720 solar panels high enough for farm machinery to harvest plants underneath and nearby according to a 2017 press release. The only drawback is that weeds always find a place to grow so occasional efforts will be needed to keep them in check. Solar shading decreased production 5 3 percent to 19 percent.

Farmers also have another option. The first is to plant low growing grass. The researchers planted wheat potatoes celeriac and clover grass in the open and under the panels and compared the yields. The extra cost of adding a solar canopy over crops could be paid for by the 5 percent gain in power production seen in panels in arizona reduced maintenance and premium pricing for solar grown.

Growing agricultural crops under the shade of solar panels uses water much more efficiently while shielding plants from the worst of the midday heat. Sheep can take the place of lawnmowers and as the grass sucks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 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. 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.

So they installed instruments to measure air temperature relative humidity wind speeds and soil moisture in the areas under panels and under direct sunlight. It is quite inexpensive and requires little maintenance. The nikke group a manufacturer and wholesaler of textile and clothing materials is using three goats to control weeds growing under part of a 16 81 mw pv ground mount system. The grass has secondary benefit.

Emu and goats keeping the weeds down around a ground mount solar system. It helps to keep the underside of the solar panels cool by controlling reflected heat from the.