Is it OK to keep bees under photovoltaic panels

Even if nothing is growing that humans can eat, it’s still beneficial for the health of bees and other pollinators (domesticated or wild) to not leave the ground bare under the panels.

The Solar Beehive consists of four smart internal beehives, which can in total house up to 40,000 bees, and an external structure that generates electricity from solar photovoltaic (P.V.) panels. On average, the solar panels will generate more than 10 kWh of electricity per day, reaching a maximum of 15 kWh per day in summer.

Even ground-based panels with little room under them can fit small plants and bees. But does this work out well, for solar panels, bees, and a crop to all share a space?.

Pollinators—such as bees, butterflies, and other insects—are critical to the success of about 35 percent of global food crop production. Learn about the benefits of establishing pollinator-friendly plants under and around ground-mounted solar arrays.

Project developers benefit from the solar energy produced by the photovoltaic panels, beekeepers gain resiliency from a diverse source of pollen for honey production, nearby farmers profit from pollination services, and the landowner sees a positive impact from improved soil health.

Is it OK to keep bees under photovoltaic panels [PDF] Chat with us

6 FAQs about [Is it OK to keep bees under photovoltaic panels ]

Do solar panels help bees eat pollinator-friendly plants?

project, researchers from Argonne National Laboratory are counting bees’ visits at pollinator-friendly vegetation grown underneath or near solar panels, as well as tracking changes in numbers and types of bees in nearby crop fields before and after vegetation planting at the solar sites.

Can solar panels fit small plants and bees?

Even ground-based panels with little room under them can fit small plants and bees. But does this work out well, for solar panels, bees, and a crop to all share a space? The limited light under panels, one might naturally think, would reduce the pollen and thus reduce the supply of food for the bee colonies.

Can solar panels save bees from extinction?

If we instead grow plants of some kind under the panels (even if the main goal is just to cool them off), the availability of food can actually increase in the solar farm’s area and help save wild bee populations from extinction.

What are the benefits of beekeeping on solar panels?

nd non-invasive plant species below the panels.Beekeeping at solar sites can enhance the value of the land by keeping it in agricultural production, providing new streams of income for local farmers, and adding such environmental benefits as water filtration, reduced erosion, and enhanced soil health due to the

What is solar beekeeping?

ams while producing affordable renewable energy.Solar beekeeping is the pract ce of placing beehives on or near solar fields. While photovoltaic panels are generating energy from the sun, bees are busy making honey and pollinating the native

Can solar bees be used for agriculture?

ize usage of land allocated for solar projects. The co-location of solar and agriculture offers opportunities for conservation, food production, increasing pollinator habitat, and adding additional farm revenue str ams while producing affordable renewable energy.Solar beekeeping is the pract

Is it OK to keep bees under photovoltaic panels