Effects of Revegetation on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Journal Article: Effects of Revegetation on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Abstract

Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is being deployed at an unprecedented rate. However, utility-scale solar energy development is land intensive and its large-scale installation can have negative impacts on the environment. In particular, solar energy infrastructure can require extensive landscape modification that transforms soil ecological functions, thereby impacting hydrologic, vegetative, and carbon dynamics. However, reintroducing native vegetation to solar PV sites may be a means of restoring their soils. To this end, we investigated critical soil physical and chemical parameters at a revegetated photovoltaic array and an adjacent reference grassland in Colorado, United States. Seven years after revegetation, we found that carbon and nitrogen remained lower in the PV soil than in the reference soil and contained a greater fraction of coarse particles. We also found that the PV modules introduced heterogeneity in the soil moisture distribution, with precipitation accumulating along the lower edges of panels. The redistribution of soil moisture by panel arrays could potentially be used in concert with planting strategies to maximize plant growth or minimize soil erosion, and should be considered when evaluating the potential to co-locate vegetation with solar infrastructure.

Contains novel data

Topics

Soil

Nutrients
Soil Carbon

Hydrology

Soil water content
Evapotranspiration

Agrivoltaic Activity: Habitat/Ecovoltaics

Authors: C.S. Choi, A.E. Cagle, J. Macknick, D.E. Bloom, J.S. Caplan and S. Ravi

Published Journal

: Frontiers in Environmental Science, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2020.00140
Online: Internet link for Effects of Revegetation on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure

Citation

C.S. Choi, A.E. Cagle, J. Macknick, D.E. Bloom, J.S. Caplan, S. Ravi. 2020. Effects of Revegetation on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Solar Photovoltaic Infrastructure. Frontiers in Environmental Science. 8(140):1-9.