Solar farms not only provide a reliable source of energy, but they also change their environment. Most of these modifications are beneficial, encouraging plant growth in desert solar farms and increasing the abundance and diversity of native plants. However, not all changes are positive, because while sunlight is not a finite resource, the real estate it covers certainly is, and this has a direct effect on the environment.
In 2025, a team of researchers published a study on the effects of solar panels on pollinators (bees and butterflies) and the plants they frequent in the south of France. According to the article published in Biological Conservation, plants located under the panels of 20 solar farms saw between 76% and 86% fewer pollinators compared to plants located away from the solar panels. Not all pollinating plants in solar farms have been affected in the same way.
The researchers noticed that “inter-row” plants (plants located between rows of solar panels) saw a lot of pollinators, but not as many as those located outside the solar farms. The general consensus is that shade is directly correlated to results. Plants that saw constant shade under solar panels saw few pollinators; plants that experienced partial shade between rows of panels were visited by some pollinators, and plants that received little shade experienced the most pollinator traffic.
What is good for the goose is not always good for the eyes
Although the results seem simple, there are some subtleties that some people might not notice. For example, although the number of pollinators interacting with plants has declined sharply, the actual number of pollinators has not declined as much. Combined with the aforementioned connection between shadow levels, researchers have several theories as to how and why. Since solar panels produce a lot of shade, they also reduce the ambient temperature. Farmworkers certainly notice this change, and researchers believe pollinators do too.
According to the paper, pollinators generally avoid areas with lower temperatures and shade, so they will avoid plants located in these “microclimates.” Plus, constant shade isn’t exactly conducive to thriving, diverse plant populations. So while you can find pollinating flowers in these areas, bees and butterflies don’t find them as appetizing as those in places with more consistent sunlight. Theories aren’t limited to Shadow being the prime suspect.
Another hypothesis states that solar panels unintentionally create a “physical barrier” that blocks or restricts the movement of butterflies, because these animals are very sensitive to environmental changes. Another theory is related to the negative effects of shadow. Solar panels change the moisture levels of nearby soil, which reduces the amount of pollen and nectar produced by plants. Even if a pollinator interacts with a plant in soil shaded by solar panels, the flower will be anemic compared to those found in greener, greener pastures.
A plan for pollination
Although the study confirms many of the researchers’ conclusions, the data threw several curve balls. For example, grazing used to maintain soils harms pollinator abundance even more than mowing – exactly the opposite of scientists’ hypothesis. Still, the researchers involved believe they can find ways to mitigate the impact of solar panels on pollinators. They just need more time and data.
In the future, scientists want studies to focus less on successful pollination attempts and more on how insects carry out their pollination activity, ideally by species. The more information future studies gather, the more researchers will understand precisely how solar panels impact their microclimates and, therefore, how they discourage pollination within their borders. As Europe plans to continue building solar farms, researchers believe these future installations could pose a potential threat to pollinators and pollination.
However, without the aforementioned information, scientists will have no idea how to mitigate the problem. How can engineers and gardeners manage solar farms to make them “pollinator friendly”? What is the best way to avoid “a net loss of pollinator biodiversity?” » Without more data, any potential solution risks causing even more harm — much like researchers thought grazing grass wouldn’t harm pollinator abundance until it actually did.
