A Win-Win-Win for Agriculture, Clean Energy and…Bees
What if land under and around solar arrays in Vermont could be used to promote pollinator-friendly vegetation? EAN, together with UVM Gund Institute for the Environment, UVM Extension, Audubon Vermont, and several other partners are leading an effort to promote this initiative in Vermont. Read more here for a full description.
To learn more about how you can participate, check out the following:
- Vermont Pollinator Habitat Scorecard: To guide the process of site and seed mix planning/designing. These voluntary standards, developed by Vermont experts, draw on the successful MN model that has generated exponential growth in pollinator friendly solar over the past year (over 2300 acres!):
- How to Get Started…
- STEP 1: Contact a qualified pollinator expert
- Participating Environmental Consultants List – Please contact us if you would like your company to be added to the list.
- STEP 2: Make sure consultants use the VT Scorecard in their planning and budget to ensure that the site can be considered pollinator-friendly
- STEP 3: Work with already established pollinator seed mixes
- STEP 4: Consider building in an annual assessment plan
- STEP 5: Once you’ve finished your pollinator seeding/plantings, post your completed scorecard on your website to say you’ve joined the Pollinator-Friendly Solar Initiative!
- STEP 1: Contact a qualified pollinator expert
- Who is piloting this already in Vermont?
- Potential Pollinator-Friendly Solar Pilots in Vermont – Please contact us if you would like your project to be added to the list.
- Pollinator Friendly Solar Forum (April 2017)
- Opening Remarks– Dr. Taylor Ricketts, Director UVM Gund Institute
- Opening Presentation – Rob Davis, Fresh Energy
- Supporting Studies: Learn about how this initiative has sparked national interest and bipartisan legislative support in MN, MD, NY and WI. The National Audubon Society views it as one of its core achievements in 2016.
- NREL Overview of Opportunities for Co-Location of Agriculture and Solar (PDF)
- NREL Solar Pollinators (PDF)
- The Effects of Solar Farms on Local Biodiversity – UK (PDF)
- Standard for Bird and Pollinator friendly Solar Sites (PDF)
- Minnesota Solar Sanctuaries for Birds, Bees, and Pollinators(Prairie Restorations, Inc.)
- Pollinator Friendly Articles/Videos:
- Maryland – Solar Offers More Than Clean Low Cost Energy (Delmarva Now)
- Can Solar Sites Help Save Bees? (Bee Culture)
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Solar Energy Made ‘Sweet’ at Connexus (YouTube)
- Solar Array Abuzz Thanks to Pollinator Friendly Vegetation (Solar Power World)
- The Business Case for Pollinator Friendly Solar (Green Biz)
- Sample Documents: Learn about tools that were developed in Minnesota to help guide the planning for the rapid growth of pollinator friendly solar in 2016-2017.
- Additional Helpful Information:
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HOW TO: Prairie Establishment & Maintenance Technical Guidance for Solar Projects – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources