L R AS Published on Monday 13 September 2021 - n° 373 - Categories:power plants

How should ground-based power plants be organised?

By studying thirteen ground-mounted power plants in the Netherlands, scientists assessed the effects of large south-facing photovoltaic power plants on vegetation, soil and microclimate. They found that

that the space between rows of panels of at least 1.5 times the height of the panel is crucial in Europe to create the best environmental conditions. They justify this observation, pointing out that the factor that limits plant growth is lack of light. They found that east-west oriented panels reduce vegetation because insufficient light limits soil function and plant growth. The study group also confirmed that under the panels, on the one hand, temperatures and temperature fluctuations are lower during the day, and on the other hand, air and soil humidity are higher than in the surrounding areas

To the north of the solar panels, the diversity and richness of plant species is reduced, but the vegetation is higher due to the higher humidity.

https://www.pv-magazine.fr/2021/09/10/la-distance-entre-les-panneaux-critere-essentiel-pour-le-maintien-de-la-vegetation/

PV Magazine of 10 September 2021

Editor's note: Looking at the details provides useful insights into what is going on. To say that under the panels there is less temperature variation is obvious. It is also obvious that the more humidity there is, the more plants grow. However, it was less obvious that there should be enough space between the rows of panels.

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