Renewable energies and biodiversity: Impact of ground‐mounted solar photovoltaic sites on bat activity

Abstract

Renewable energy is growing at a rapid pace globally but as yet there has been little research on the effects of ground‐mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) developments on bats, many species of which are threatened or protected. We conducted a paired study at 19 ground‐mounted solar PV developments in southwest England. We used static detectors to record bat echolocation calls from boundaries (i.e. hedgerows) and central locations (open areas) at fields with solar PV development, and simultaneously at matched sites without solar PV developments (control fields). We used generalised linear mixed‐effect models to assess how solar PV developments and boundary habitat affected bat activity and species richness. The activity of six of eight species/species groups analysed was negatively affected by solar PV panels, suggesting that loss and/or fragmentation of foraging/commuting habitat is caused by ground‐mounted solar PV panels. Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Nyctalus spp. activity was lower at solar PV sites regardless of the habitat type considered. Negative impacts of solar PV panels at field boundaries were apparent for the activity of Myotis spp. and Eptesicus serotinus, and in open fields for Pipistrellus pygmaeus and Plecotus spp. Bat species richness was greater along field boundaries compared with open fields, but there was no effect of solar PV panels on species richness. Policy implications: Ground‐mounted solar photovoltaic developments have a significant negative effect on bat activity, and should be considered in appropriate planning legislation and policy. Solar photovoltaic developments should be screened in Environmental Impact Assessments for ecological impacts, and appropriate mitigation (e.g. maintaining boundaries, planting vegetation to network with surrounding foraging habitat) and monitoring should be implemented to highlight potential negative effects.

Polarized Light Pollution of Fixed-Tilt Photovoltaic Solar Panels Measured by Drone-Polarimetry and Its Visual-Ecological Importance

“…The PLP of photovoltaic panels is indirectly demonstrated by the more and more frequent observations of the number of panel collisions and the activity of insectivorous bats [13,17,18,37] at solar farms. The main reason for this is the enhanced number of insects deceived and lured by the horizontally polarized light reflected from solar panels.…”

“…The PLP associated with photovoltaic solar panels is of particular importance, because several studies have indicated that these panels can attract polarotactic aquatic insects to lay their eggs upon them [9,11]. Furthermore, the PLP of solar panels can be a possible indirect cause of bat-panel collisions [17,18]: the polarotactic insects attracted by the polarization of panel-reflected light can lure insectivorous bats [13], which consume these deceived insects. Photovoltaic use is expanding dramatically worldwide, and relatively little is known about their reflection-polarization characteristics.…”

Sustainable Treatment of Spent Photovoltaic Solar Panels Using Plasma Pyrolysis Technology and Its Economic Significance

“…The sustainable treatment of PV modules can reduce their toxicity to water and human beings by 10-70% compared to untreated spent panels [10]. Due to DSP being highly regarded as the next electronic waste, successful mitigation measures during PV solar panel development will serve as an option to manage climate change while supporting biodiversity [11].…”

Insectivorous bats alter their flight and feeding behaviour at ground‐mounted solar farms

“…Despite the important synthesis and review work of Smallwood (2022), effects of the installation of solar farms on habitat use by vertebrates remain poorly documented. There have been only three studies: one shows that solar farms lead to reduced bird species richness and density (Visser et al., 2019), and two show that they lead to reduced activity of several insectivorous bat species (Szabadi et al., 2023; Tinsley et al., 2023). Perturbations of insectivorous bats, which occupy high trophic levels, are likely to be linked to reductions in the abundance of their insect prey, which could be generated by reduced plant biomass in the shady conditions under solar panels (Armstrong et al., 2016; Graham et al., 2021).…”