Environmental Co‐Benefits of Maintaining Native Vegetation With Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Choi, Chong Seok; Macknick, Jordan; Li, Yudi; Bloom, Dellena; McCall, James; Ravi, Sujith

doi:10.1029/2023EF003542

Title: Environmental Co‐Benefits of Maintaining Native Vegetation With Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Journal Article · 06 June 2023 · Earth's Future

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023EF003542 · OSTI ID:1984112

Choi, Chong Seok ^[1]; Macknick, Jordan ^[2]; Li, Yudi ^[3]; Bloom, Dellena ^[4]; McCall, James ^[2];

^[1]

Department of Earth and Environmental Science Temple University Philadelphia PA USA
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Strategic Energy Analysis Center Golden CO USA
Department of Land, Air and Water Resources University of California Davis CA USA
Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences University of Florida Gainesville FL USA

Abstract Co‐locating solar photovoltaics with vegetation could provide a sustainable solution to meeting growing food and energy demands. However, studies quantifying multiple co‐benefits resulting from maintaining vegetation at utility‐scale solar power plants are limited. We monitored the microclimate, soil moisture, panel temperature, electricity generation and soil properties at a utility‐scale solar facility in a continental climate with different site management practices. The compounding effect of photovoltaic arrays and vegetation may homogenize soil moisture distribution and provide greater soil temperature buffer against extreme temperatures. The vegetated solar areas had significantly higher soil moisture, carbon, and other nutrients compared to bare solar areas. Agrivoltaics in agricultural areas with carbon debt can be an effective climate mitigation strategy along with revitalizing agricultural soils, generating income streams from fallow land, and providing pollinator habitats. However, the benefits of vegetation cooling effects on electricity generation are rather site‐specific and depend on the background climate and soil properties. Overall, our findings provide foundational data for site preservation along with targeting site‐specific co‐benefits, and for developing climate resilient and resource conserving agrivoltaic systems.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1984112

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-6A20-84668; e2023EF003542

Journal Information:: Earth's Future, Journal Name: Earth's Future Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 11; ISSN 2328-4277

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Environmental Co‐Benefits of Maintaining Native Vegetation With Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

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