Sustainability of utility‐scale solar energy – critical ecological concepts

Abstract

Renewable energy development is an arena where ecological, political, and socioeconomic values collide. Advances in renewable energy will incur steep environmental costs to landscapes in which facilities are constructed and operated. Scientists – including those from academia, industry, and government agencies – have only recently begun to quantify trade‐offs in this arena, often using ground‐mounted, utility‐scale solar energy facilities (USSE, ≥1 megawatt) as a model. Here, we discuss five critical ecological concepts applicable to the development of more sustainable USSE with benefits over fossil‐fuel‐generated energy: (1) more sustainable USSE development requires careful evaluation of trade‐offs between land, energy, and ecology; (2) species responses to habitat modification by USSE vary; (3) cumulative and large‐scale ecological impacts are complex and challenging to mitigate; (4) USSE development affects different types of ecosystems and requires customized design and management strategies; and (5) long‐term ecological consequences associated with USSE sites must be carefully considered. These critical concepts provide a framework for reducing adverse environmental impacts, informing policy to establish and address conservation priorities, and improving energy production sustainability.

Mutually-Beneficial Renewable Energy Systems

“…Common mitigation measures for solar energy include selecting areas of low conservation value and implementing biodiversity-friendly Relations -6.1 -June 2018 http://www.ledonline.it/Relations/ operating procedures (Gasparatos et al 2017). Mutually-beneficial opportunities for solar energy broadly involve flexible siting options, supporting use of degraded lands and water bodies, co-location with other uses and technologies, restoration of ecosystem functions and habitats within and adjacent to installations, and integration within built environments (Stoms, Dashiell, and Davis 2013;Hernandez et al 2014;Hoffacker, Allen, and Hernandez 2017;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017).…”

“…Integration within built environments can take increasingly diverse forms, from common rooftop solar systems (Moore-O'Leary et al 2017; UCS 2017) to building-integrated PV (Cannavale et al 2017;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017;Jakica 2018), green roofs (Gasparatos et al 2017), clear window modules (Hoffacker, Allen, and Hernandez 2017), various construction components (Uyterlinde et al 2017), noise barriers (Hoffacker, Allen, and Hernandez 2017), solar road panels (Northmore 2014), and solar PV sculptures and solar trees for public art and education (Ferry, Monoian, and Koh 2012;Hyder, Sudhakar, and Mamat 2018).…”

“…During site preparation, practices include conserving original vegetation (Macknick, Beatty, and Hill 2013) and installing arrays without grading (Beatty et al 2017). During operations, solar energy accommodates native vegetation under and around panels; modified height and spacing of PV panels to allow rough pasture, prairie, meadow and grassland habitats to flourish; pollinator-friendly habitat and planting of wild bird seed, nectar mixes or cover crops between rows; nest boxes and roosting, perching and hibernating structures within control buildings; wildlife-friendly hedges for fencing; and management for nutrient cycling and erosion control (BirdLife Europe 2011; Macknick, Beatty, and Hill 2013;Montag, Parker, and Clarkson 2016;Beatty et al 2017;Benage 2017;Hoffacker, Allen, and Hernandez 2017;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017). Solar energy may support restoration of wetland habitats in former agricultural and industrial areas through purification of groundwater (Pevzner 2015).…”

“…Solar energy may support restoration of wetland habitats in former agricultural and industrial areas through purification of groundwater (Pevzner 2015). Once decommissioned, solar infrastructure may be retrofitted, or deconstructed and recycled, to repurpose or restore sites (Ali et al 2016;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017;UCS 2017).…”

“…For agri-voltaics, modified panel height and spacing can support sun-loving and shade-tolerant crops or allow conservation grazing by sheep, goats, poultry, and cattle, while providing shade and cover and reducing maintenance and soil erosion (BirdLife Europe 2011;Macknick, Beatty, and Hill 2013;BRE 2014;Hernandez et al 2014;Hernandez et al 2015, 13582-13583;Montag, Parker, and Clarkson 2016;Ravi et al 2016;Hagen and DePillis 2017;Fraunhofer ISE 2018). Agrivoltaics also make use of farm structures including greenhouses and barns, underutilized spaces such as distribution areas and parking lots, and agriculture lands of lower soil quality (Macknick, Beatty, and Hill 2013;Hernandez et al 2014;Hagen and DePillis 2017;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017). For floatovoltaics, floating arrays deployed in reservoirs, dam impoundments, irrigation canals, lakes, ponds, and former mining pits adapt to changing water levels while improving panel conversion efficiency and reducing evaporation (Hernandez et al 2014;Hanley 2017;Hoffacker, Allen, and Hernandez 2017;Moore-O'Leary et al 2017).…”