How Solar Farms Are Preserving Pollinators

Imagine a world where clean energy meets pollinator preservation—this is exactly what Dominion Energy's Black Bear Solar Project in Buckingham County, Virginia is achieving. In partnership with Mountain House Apiaries, they’ve integrated beekeeping into their solar farm to preserve pollinator health and maintain agricultural integrity. The approach, dubbed agrivoltaics, pairs renewable energy production with agriculture, demonstrating harmony between modern energy and the natural environment.

A Solar and Pollinator Symphony

At its core, the Black Bear Solar Project demonstrates that solar energy doesn’t have to displace agriculture or harm local ecosystems. By allowing Italian honey bees to thrive among the solar panels, Dominion is striking a balance between energy production and pollinator support. These buzzing bees help maintain the local ecosystem while playing a critical role in pollinating the plants in the surrounding area.

It’s not just about honey production—though beekeeper Chuck Burden’s efforts will yield around 20 pounds of honey per hive annually. It's about proving that energy production and agriculture can co-exist and even complement each other. The solar panels, surrounded by pollinator-friendly plants like clover and wildflowers, provide the bees with a healthy, pesticide-free environment.

Why Pollinators Matter

Did you know that honey bees are responsible for pollinating about one-third of the food we consume? Yet, they are increasingly endangered due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. By integrating pollinators like bees into solar projects, Dominion is not just producing clean energy—they’re creating a sustainable haven for one of the most crucial components of our ecosystem.

The Future of Agrivoltaics

The Black Bear Solar Project is just the beginning. As Dominion and other organizations continue to explore agrivoltaics, they’re laying the groundwork for a future where clean energy and agriculture support each other. Along with the bees, there’s potential to use other agricultural practices—like rotational grazing with sheep or planting crops between solar panels.

For now, projects like Black Bear Solar are showing that we can create a sustainable future where energy production is not at odds with the natural world.