Entries by Victorian Tilley

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Solar Charged Electric Farming Tractors

The aim of this study is to present a potential, alternative solution regarding the covering of energy needs, required for farming activities related to the arable lands. This paper elaborates on the energy balance between solar-energy generation and the demands of the farming activities in the field. The main parts of this concept are, the solar array scheme, the electric motor of the tractor and of course the battery that will store the energy from panels and produce it to farming tractor, while operating in the field.

Australian Guide To Agrisolar For Large-Scale Solar

This guide has been developed to share knowledge and learnings from agrisolar practices around Australia and the world, to assist proponents of utility-scale solar, and the landholders and farmers who work with them to integrate agricultural activities into solar farm projects. As solar grazing is the dominant form of agrisolar for utility-scale solar, this guide has a strong focus on sharing the knowledge and learnings from Australian projects that have integrated solar grazing practices to date, providing case studies, information on solar-grazing benefits and practical guidance for agrivoltaic developers.

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Native Vegetation and Solar Energy

Written by the Center for Rural Affairs, this report reveals the benefits of mixing solar power and native vegetation. The report identifies types of solar projects, including residential, community-scale and utility-scale and their relations to native bees, monarch butterflies, pheasants and quail and soil and water quality. In the report, there is a plan available for those looking to optimize the health of native plants for the benefit of pollinators. The study discussed here also covers seed-mix selection, methods for seeding the vegetation and managing the site(s) afterwards.

Impacts of Management at a Local and Landscape Scale on Pollinators in Semi-Natural Grasslands

This research article tested whether insect pollinators are affected at local scale by a results-based scheme scored based on plant indicators, or if landscape management is more important, and whether there were different responses between taxon-specific groups.

The study revealed that agrisolar project management should consider a range of different management measures and landscape-scale approaches where possible, to maximize benefits for a range of pollinators, including bumble bees, hoverflies and butterflies.

Procurement and Pollinator-Friendly Solar Fresh Energy Resource

This resource highlights how solar companies can provision pollinator-friendly solar through a company’s standard procurement process and provides purchase agreement language for pollinator and agriculturally friendly solar. The report provides details for planning consideration for the land under and around solar energy developments which is often overlooked. Addressing the details associated with this concern will aid in addressing climate and biodiversity crisis concurrently.

Pollinator-Focused Solar: Observations of Plant-Pollinator Interactions in the Agrivoltaic Understory

This paper presents a case study of plant-pollinator interactions at a solar energy generation site in southwestern Oregon, a water-limited, dryland ecosystem. The study focuses on plant-pollinator interactions at a solar-energy generation site in southwestern Oregon, a water-limited, dryland
ecosystem.

The results of this study show that this data can inform agriculture and pollinator health advocates as
they seek land for pollinator-habitat restoration in target areas, as well as local solar developers and homeowners deciding how to manage land beneath solar arrays.

Pollinator Friendly Solar Scorecard

This document includes entomologist-approved standards for the managed landscape of a solar PV facility to be considered “beneficial to pollinators.” The scorecard includes the following options for entering data: site planning and management, seed mixes, insecticide risk and outreach education, among others.