r/UpliftingNews • u/ArgentineBeauty • 4h ago

Two Minnesota solar farms planted native grasses and wildflowers beneath their panels. Five years later, flowering plant species had increased sevenfold, native bee numbers more than 20 fold and total insect numbers had tripled, while more bees were also visiting nearby soybean fields.

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/two-minnesota-solar-farms-turned-the-ground-beneath-their-panels-into-habitat-and-native-bee-abundance-rose-more-than-20-fold/36680/
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u/MyCoffeeIsCold 3h ago

Solar is great and has a place in our energy portfolio in the right locations.

We have had proposals to clear cut 60-70 acres of FOREST for solar projects here in New York. One of the dumbest things I have ever heard.

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u/Krillin113 3h ago

Solar needs to be put on agricultural land

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u/Gladiateher 3h ago

I partially agree, but the good news is we have multiple fantastic options:

https://www.euronews.com/2023/11/13/float-ovoltaics-how-floating-solar-panels-in-reservoirs-could-revolutionise-global-power

We have rooftops, desert and grasslands, reservoirs and bodies of water, and so much more.

Historically red Texas and Florida are both leading the nation in solar, wind, and battery right now.

I truly believe we’re in the midst of a green revolution, and I personally think with one more small breakthrough in battery technology our entire society is going to start transforming in some pretty mind bending ways.

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u/Churchbushonk 3h ago

Only cause Texas and Florida are in good locations for renewables.

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u/thefatheadedone 2h ago

The why doesn't really matter it's just the fact they are doing it that counts imo.

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u/Gladiateher 2h ago

No, that’s not the only reason lol, respectfully of course!

It’s because they have means, motive, and opportunity (lol).

They have a rich populace, very permissive zoning and building codes, the correct climate, the right political and capital structures and most importantly they have the will.

The technology is there, it’s economically viable and despite what you may have heard, people want the technology, they see it and they want it, even in oil producing Texas and crazy conservative Florida, that’s my point really - it’s pure optimism we CAN do this, we CAN implement this technology, and one good investment in energy tech can lead to another.

We can use mountain reservoir based batteries, grid scale electric batteries, home battery banks, solar, wind, and water.

People on the liberal coasts and people in the conservative south, and people in the frozen north all want this and we can have it, it’s available right now in this moment! We can get everyone on board and we absolutely CAN do this (in the US context at least)