Shading from solar arrays can help grasslands survive hot dry summers

In semi-arid areas grasslands often don’t get as much water as they need to thrive, but a  new study published by Colorado State University and Cornell University researchers in the peer-reviewed journal “Environmental Research Letters” found that solar panels on Colorado grasslands decreased water stress and increased plant growth in dry years. 

Researchers found that plants under and around the solar arrays benefited from partial shading and additional water that collected on panels.  Grass growing on the east side was 90% more productive in some cases compared to plant productivity on an adjacent control site that didn’t have solar panels. During wet and normal years, this positive grass production response was reduced, but the east side of the panels still saw more grass production than the control site.

The study results suggests that the partial shading offered by colocating solar arrays over grasslands can help plants get through hot and dry summers, which could aid grassland restoration efforts.