By Jamie Martin
A recent analysis from Clean Wisconsin shows that large-scale solar farms built on traditional farmland can greatly improve local environmental and public health conditions. These farms replace intensive row crop farming, which is a major source of soil erosion and water contamination.
Solar farms planted with perennial grasses reduce harmful runoff of phosphorus and sediment into water bodies by 75% to 95%. These grasses also hold the soil together and boost carbon storage, improving soil health by up to 65%.
Importantly, the presence of native vegetation creates better conditions for pollinators like bees and butterflies, with habitat quality improving by 300%. This is vital for ecosystem health as pollinator populations continue to decline.
“In Wisconsin, solar projects are being sited on agricultural land, which is attractive to developers as it is clear of trees and relatively flat,” said Clean Wisconsin Science Program Director Paul Mathewson. “Intensive annual row crop agriculture in Wisconsin is a primary contributor to topsoil loss and many of Wisconsin’s most pressing water quality problems, including contamination of drinking water from nitrates and pesticides and pollution of lakes and rivers from phosphorus and soil erosion. When this land use is replaced with a solar farm that maintains perennial grassland cover and requires no fertilizer additions, we can see a net increase in local environmental quality, which is what this report really highlights.”
Solar farms are more efficient than corn-based ethanol production. One acre of solar panels produces 100 times more net energy than an acre of corn. Although Wisconsin uses 1.5 million acres for ethanol corn, just 200,000 acres of solar could achieve clean energy goals.
There are financial and health advantages too. The report found that solar energy provides public health savings of up to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour by avoiding pollution from coal and gas plants. This is more than double the cost of solar energy production.
In conclusion, solar farms on farmland support a cleaner environment, reduce pollution, improve habitat, and offer affordable energy, making them a smart choice for sustainable development.
Photo Credit: stock-shansekala
Categories: National