By Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons to be Cheerful.
Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Minnesota News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Service Collaboration

Amid black-eyed Susans and purple wildflowers growing between rows of solar panels at Connexus Energy’s headquarters in Ramsey, Minnesota, Rob Davis has seen hover flies, swallows and a hummingbird moth.

“It’s just like being in a nice, natural place,” says Davis, Connexus public affairs lead. “But it’s also just a visual delight, because there’s so many things to see when you sit and wait.”

When the array was installed almost a decade ago, the initial plan was to keep gravel around the panels. Instead, the electricity co-op planted a mixture of flowering plants — becoming what Davis says was the first pollinator-friendly solar project in the US. 

Now, many others are following suit. 

In Minnesota and across the country, planners are increasingly eschewing turf grass and gravel for flowering meadows that support butterflies, bees, insects and other threatened wildlife.  

“You have the opportunity with solar to actually benefit the surrounding land if you’re thoughtful about how you do it,” says Katie Siegner, a manager in carbon-free electricity at RMI who has researched pollinator-friendly solar.

Bees, bats, insects and birds that help to pollinate plants are responsible for a key part of the ecosystem, and are crucial for growing food. But they are struggling, due in part to climate change, habitat loss and use of pesticides and herbicides. The western bumblebee population has declined by 57% since 1998. Migratory monarch butterflies were listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature last year, with the population estimated to have diminished by between 22% and 72% in the last decade. Honey bee colonies have declined by up to a third every winter in recent years, according to the US Department of Agriculture. 

Meanwhile, as the Biden administration has sought to scale up solar energy, panels are poised to take up more space on the landscape. Advocates focused on pollinators see potential benefits in the solar fields, compared to other types of land use.

“It provides a pretty incredible opportunity,” says Wendy Caldwell, executive director of the nonprofit Monarch Joint Venture, which aims to conserve habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

Since the monarch first was reviewed for endangered species status in the US in 2014 conservationists adopted an all-hands-on-deck approach to try to expand habitat, Caldwell says, looking to buffer zones on agricultural lands, roadsides, urban gardens and more. Solar developments have an additional benefit of not needing the pesticides and herbicides common to farming, she says. 

In a study of four solar installations with flowering ground cover, which included milkweed, in Minnesota, Monarch Joint Venture found that a variety of species — including monarchs — were present. 

“We know that monarchs and other pollinators are using these sites,” Caldwell says.

In the UK, researchers found “solar meadows” could boost the number of bumblebees even in nearby areas. Shade from the panels can delay the flowering of some plants, giving pollinators access to pollen later in the season. A 2021 report in Environmental Entomology concluded that native flowering species suited to the site around solar developments could support pollinators, though it underscored the importance of implementing projects carefully, having oversight and assessing how well they are growing.

At the Ramsey array, a Connexus team walks the site once a year, clearing out baby trees growing as weeds, according to Davis. Every other year, the field is mulch mowed, which breaks up the dead plant material that settles. Some projects use occasional sheep grazing for a similar effect. Aside from occasional spot reseeding, Davis says the project takes very little ongoing maintenance. Connexus now uses pollinator-friendly habitat in all of its projects. Some projects involve beekeepers, producing honey that can be sold.

Minnesota was the first state to establish a scorecard for pollinator-friendly solar projects, passing legislation in 2016. Sites use the guide to log everything from the diversity of plantings to percentage of wildflower cover. 

“The movement shifted to thinking about the entire landscape instead of just a superficial fringe,” Davis says.

As of March 2022, 55 Minnesota solar sites were listed as pollinator friendly. More than a dozen other states now have similar scorecards.

Siegner, of RMI, found in her research that pollinator habitat brings other benefits to solar sites. The planted meadows sequester carbon, help recharge groundwater and reduce erosion. Improving habitat for bees and insects could also boost yields for crops that depend on pollinators at neighboring farms; a model found soy yields could be up by 6.3 percent near pollinator-friendly solar.

Siegner says incorporating pollinator habitat can win local support for solar projects — a hurdle for many solar developers. Finding dual uses, like grazing sheep or incorporating other types of agriculture, is one strategy for courting local acceptance.  

Plantings for a pollinator-friendly solar project can cost more than turf or gravel, and finding a sufficient supply of native seeds can also be a challenge. But the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund’s Solar Synergy initiative, launched in March, will soon provide solar developers with free seed mixtures suited to specific site needs that will flower from early spring through the summer. One seed mix will be low growing, featuring plants like clover, that won’t impede panels close to the ground. Another taller mixture will be suitable for buffer areas. Monarch Joint Venture is on board to monitor sites and report on how well the habitats work for pollinators. Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund will also connect project leaders with commercial beekeepers, so the arrays can be used to produce honey. 

“It’s another way of delivering multiple benefits,” says Pete Berthelsen, Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund executive director. “I really like the fact that it’s green renewable energy, and we’re putting less carbon into the atmosphere because of it. But who wouldn’t want there to be pollinator benefits associated with that project going in?”


Elizabeth Hewitt wrote this article for Reasons to be Cheerful.


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New Mexico conservation advocates say the state's budget awaiting the governor's signature would make great strides in addressing climate change and protecting public health.

Justin Garoutte, advocate, climate and energy with the group Conservation Voters New Mexico, highlighted 21 bills awaiting the governor's signature that will protect air, land, water and wildlife resources. He said Senate Bill 48, known as the Community Benefit Fund, would be a groundbreaking investment in adapting to climate change through locally driven projects that strengthen communities and create jobs, including jobs for those employed in the extraction industry.

"So, helping workers in the oil and gas industry or other industries transition to more clean jobs - there's 17-million that's going to the workforce solutions department for clean-energy worker training," he explained.

SB 48, which passed by a vote of 39 to 26, would provide grants for infrastructure and clean energy projects that reduce pollution, improve resiliency against extreme weather, and enhance grid reliability in cities and towns across the state. The governor has until April 11th to approve spending for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1st and ends on June 30th next year.

Garoutte said with state guidance, individual communities could implement projects unique to their region, prioritizing rural and underserved communities.

"The end goal is ensuring that we as a state continue advancing to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change that we're feeling now, right? We have to adapt, we have to do mitigation efforts, and we just want to keep moving forward as a state when we don't see that at the federal level," he continued.

Legislation included in the next budget includes two transportation provisions. $60 million for electric vehicle charging infrastructure for school districts and improved pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure are part of the spending plan.


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Large, energy-intense buildings used in Bitcoin mining, cloud computing and artificial intelligence data processing industries could become more common in West Virginia under legislation being considered by lawmakers.

Advocacy groups said high-impact data centers pose environmental and public health risks for communities.

Morgan King, climate and energy program manager for the West Virginia Citizen Action Group, pointed out Mingo, Mason and Tucker counties have already seen data center growth, along with an increased strain on natural resources. She added under House Bill 2014, such facilities would not be required to follow local zoning, land use or noise ordinances.

"These centers can take up anywhere from three to four square miles of land that will be repurposed for construction of these buildings for data centers," King explained. "Even more, they require an intense water use and energy use."

The bill would allow companies to develop independent energy grids using coal and gas. Supporters of the legislation, including West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, argued the bill would bring significant investment to the state.

The bill places no limits on how much of the water supply these facilities can draw upon. King noted in neighboring Virginia, some data centers are using nearly a million gallons of water a day.

"It doesn't put any restrictions on the facility, which could have an impact on local water resources," King emphasized. "It also requires that the power generation of coal throughout the state be remaining at a 69% base load."

She added there is increased exposure to light and sound pollution for residents and disruption of wildlife habitats.

"One of these centers is posed for Tucker County, right outside of Davis, that's in one of the most beautiful natural areas of the state," King observed. "If we put a data center in there, it's going to create a lot of noise and light pollution that will impact local ecosystems."

Energy experts are concerned data centers could lead to higher electricity bills for Mountain State households, and worsen communities' climate change resilience.


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As Congress debates cuts to offset tax-cut extensions, the future of the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit remains uncertain, with potential impacts on Michigan's growing clean-fuel industry. The Clean Fuels Production Tax credit was established under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. It offers 20 cents per gallon for nonaviation fuels and 35 cents for aviation fuels which cut emissions by 50% compared with petroleum. Michigan has six key clean-fuel and alternative-energy initiatives, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Alex Muresianu, senior policy analyst for Tax Foundation, estimates that repealing the credit could net about $12.8 billion over a decade based on Treasury projections, although he questions the math.

"That was based on some estimates from Treasury. It doesn't make sense to take a revenue cost estimate from Treasury and assume it will one-for-one translate into revenue raised from reversing a policy," she said.

Critics call credit initiative costly, favoring big companies while possibly raising fuel prices and distorting the market. It started on January 1st and is slated to run through 2027 unless extended.

Congress is divided on the future of these tax credits. While some want to eliminate them altogether to offset tax cuts, others warn that doing so could harm energy investments and job growth.

Nan Swift, a resident fellow of the Governance Program at R Street Institute, believes that right now, Congress is likely far from debating the finer details, and the tax credit is just one of those specifics.

"Certainly, it's on a a wish list for a lot of members, but we don't even know yet if the House and Senate can find agreement between their two-bill or one-bill plans," she explained.

Shortly after the Clean Fuels Production Tax Credit was enacted, debates arose about its cost, effectiveness and fairness over the broader economy.


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