- Two solar farms in Minnesota were seeded with native grasses and wildflowers in 2018 to test dual land use.
- Over five years, insect diversity increased significantly, with native bees showing a 20-fold rise in abundance.
- Pollinators from the solar sites visited adjacent soybean fields, providing unexpected pollination services to neighboring crops.
- Active management, like planting native species, reduced long-term maintenance costs compared to traditional turf or gravel.
- The study highlights the potential for solar farms to enhance biodiversity while maintaining energy production.