Strata Solar is generating energy and aiding our food supply with pollinated plants at the Howell Midland Farm in Midland. By replacing traditional buffer plants with native grasses and wildflowers, Strata enabled the farmland to be multi-use, with energy-producing solar panels coexisting alongside insect-pollinated plants. The plants are not only an aesthetic enhancement for the area: With native and European bees in decline, these wildflowers encourage the restoration of native bee habitats, which are critical to our food supply. (An estimated 30% of our food supply relies on pollinated plants, with the USDA valuing pollinated crops at $3 Billion annually.) 

 

Katie Parker, Strata's Vegetation and Construction Manager, notes that the pollinated plants have also made the property more low-maintenance, with just one mow per year now required. They have also already helped preserve its longevity: Because of their complex root systems, pollinated plants can stabilize the soil and aid in rain filtration, which helps preserve the land for future use. 

 

To learn more about the 6.5 MW Howell Midland Farm, visit Strata Solar.