French Solar Panels For Agriculture Soil Hope Grass

Giving soil rest can also maintain soil quality.

French solar panels for agriculture soil hope grass. Others press double forked meters into the ground measuring the soil moisture below the solar panels and in open ground. Natural grazing practices encourage grass to grow increase soil health and also avoids mowing. Photo by merrill smith. A trial study in southern france has demonstrated that by reducing the density of the solar panels by half it was still possible to grow lettuces on the land underneath them.

That steel oxidizes over time and releases zinc into the soil which can be toxic to plants at certain levels. And then there are the multiple benefits of allowing natural grazers such as sheep and goats onto the land around the panels. Increasing the value of that land for agriculture in the future. 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.

Gravel and turf grass can create an impervious surface that can increase runoff wash away topsoil and create unwanted flooding or gullies. That has been documented in cases where other types of galvanized steel structures were removed and crops didn t grow or didn t fare well heiniger said. Combining solar power generation and agriculture offers not only a solution to securing land for pv projects in nations such as the netherlands or japan where soil consumption is becoming an. But diverse groundcovers and native grasses with varying soil depths will help stabilize the soil underneath solar panels.

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. Nearby beekeepers check on the health of local hives. Many solar panels are supported by galvanized steel platforms. Their research is part of an ongoing study to quantify the benefits of a new approach to solar installations.

The solar projects protect the soil if the farmers want to turn it back into farmland later. Most solar panels have a glass front that protects the pv cell and an aluminum or steel frame. Co locating agriculture with solar.