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Hedges for
Solar Edges

Can hedgerows help solar projects become more sustainable and widely accepted?

Our low-carbon future depends, in part, on the development of solar energy. Yet, the construction of large, ground-mounted photovoltaic solar energy plants (GPVs) is sometimes halted by public backlash due to the perception of solar farms as unattractive and harmful to biodiversity. Planting vegetation, or “hedgerows,” along the perimeter of these solar farms could be a solution. This greenery could serve as a visual buffer while offering a linear, river-like ecosystem that may store carbon and support local wildlife.

But, is this solution enough to shift public opinion?

 

An ancient technique

For millennia, people have used hedgerows to coexist with nature

 

Hedgerows were first used for delineating property in the Bronze Age between 3300 BC to 1200 BC.  Today, they are used in modern farm-scaping and serve as habitats and corridors for various insect and vertebrate species. The role of hedgerows in shifting opinions on GPVs, however, is less clear. That’s why Wild Energy affiliate scientist, Yudi Li, believes it is important to study why GPVs are polarizing, explore current examples of hedgerow use around GPVs, and understand their potential benefits on a global scale.

 
 

Our methods

We applied interdisciplinary approaches across the U.S., U.K., and Australia to assess the potential of hedgerows.

Litchardon Cross Solar Farm is located in North Devon in the United Kingdom.

 

Hedgerows are a standard landscape feature across much of the United Kingdom. Solar farms in the country often incorporate existing hedgerows into their project design, like the Litchardon Cross Solar Farm in Northern England. Solar farms in other countries may benefit from these practices as well. We reviewed hundreds of site plans to gauge opportunities for expansions of hedgerows.

Research Questions

01

What are the drivers of public opposition to GPVs?

02

Will the installation of hedgerows reconcile opposition to GPVs?

03

What are the beneficial outcomes of current hedgerows around GPVs?

04

What are the barriers and enablers of hedgerows?

 
 

UC Davis PhD candidate Yudi Li led the Wild Energy Center’s research on hedgerow adoption.

 Major Finding

Hedges offer opportunities stretching for miles

We reviewed plans for hundreds of solar sites where hedgerows could be installed. After crunching the data, we estimate nearly 1,000 miles of new hedges could be planted on solar sites globally to create new habitat, preserve farmland, and shield infrastructure from public view.

 

Why this work matters


Clean energy solutions should work for everyone.

Understanding public opposition and perceived impacts of solar energy power plants can help us create solutions that bring a common ground among stakeholders. Studying the benefits and practices of hedgerow adoption at GPVs teaches us how we can overcome the barriers facing solar energy development across the globe.

“The public may view solar farms as monotonous, industrialized landscapes. Hedgerows could change that.”



  • Yudi Li, Lead author and Wild Energy Affiliate scientist

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