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Optimal Vegetation Management in Solar Parks.

Why mulching leads the way.

Info updated: Jan 15, 2025

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Solar power plants today play an irreplaceable role in the production of so-called clean energy as well as in efforts to reduce emissions. However, photovoltaic parks occupy large areas of natural land, making it essential to address their ecological impact during construction and operation.

This means ensuring soil and vegetation quality recovery through proper seed selection and the choice of an appropriate maintenance method.

If you operate a solar power plant, you probably consider various vegetation maintenance methods: grazing, mowing, or mulching.

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of these maintenance options, their impact on the ecosystem within the power plants and surrounding landscapes, and the associated costs.

The article is based on the study “Suitable sward management in photovoltaic parks in relation to sustainability and ecosystem services – a review,” conducted by the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, specifically the Department of Agroecology and Crop Production at the Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources.

Seed selection and the benefits of different mixtures.

The species composition of grass affects both the ecosystem and subsequent maintenance requirements. Therefore, selecting the right seed mixture is crucial when establishing grasslands.

  • Commercial mixtures focused on high productivity and nutritional value are affordable but require intensive care, including higher amounts of nutrients and water.
  • Mixtures for low-maintenance grasslands are designed to adapt to various conditions, suitable for less fertile soils or dry areas. They grow slowly and have lower productivity, making maintenance less demanding. However, they are not suitable for grazing sheep, as they grow slowly and provide fewer nutrients.
  • Mixtures with high species diversity and an emphasis on native species offer the greatest ecological benefits. These mixtures consist mostly of low grasses and a wide variety of herbs but are expensive, hard to source, and maintenance intensive.

Maintaining the ecological benefits of vegetation requires diversity, vitality, and resilience, influenced by adequate watering, nutrients, and timely harvesting.

Types of grassland maintenance and their advantages and disadvantages.

Each vegetation management method has its unique benefits:

  • Grazing promotes biodiversity and is cost-effective.
  • Mowing allows precise vegetation control and professional appearance.
  • Mulching is a low-cost and environmentally friendly method offering maximum sustainability and soil protection.

The choice of methods depends on the specific conditions of the solar park, its infrastructure, and the operator’s goals. Let us take a closer look at each maintenance type.

Grazing: traditional but with limitations.

The grazing sheep is often mentioned as a low-cost, environmentally friendly way to manage vegetation in solar parks while utilizing the growing vegetation. Sheep graze and naturally fertilize the soil in the process. Grazing has a low environmental impact as it does not require the use of heavy machinery. However, it also brings a range of disadvantages and complications.

Selective grazing.

Sheep consume only tasty and nutritious plants, leaving less desirable species (e.g., weeds) untouched. This increases vegetation diversity but can also lead to the spread of weeds. Weeds that are not grazed produce seeds that may spread within the park and onto adjacent land.

Ungrazed plants must be mowed to prevent them from shading or even damaging photovoltaic panels. Maintaining vegetation and blocking weed spread requires regular mowing or mulching at least once a year, thus increasing maintenance costs.Frequently grazed plants weaken and may disappear entirely, reducing grassland quality and disrupting the ecosystem balance.

Soil erosion risk.

Intensive animal movement, especially on sloped land, can cause soil compaction, reduced water infiltration, increased runoff, and soil loss.

Susceptibility to drying.

Short-grazed vegetation is prone to drying out and wind erosion.

Similarly to intensively mowed areas, it loses its ability to retain moisture and protect the soil.

Adapting solar parks for grazing.

Solar parks must be adapted for grazing:

  • The lowest edges of panels must be high enough to allow animals to move underneath.
  • The wiring must be protected from damage.
  • Security systems must be compatible with animal movement.

Ensuring animals’ needs.

Ensuring good living conditions requires:

  • access to water and supplementary feeding,
  • constant supervision and care.

Location limitations.

Grazing is not suitable in these locations:

  • areas with extreme terrain slopes,
  • locations with limited access to resources such as water, supplementary feeding, and regular care,
  • areas sown with low-maintenance grass mixtures, which provide insufficient nutrients due to their low productivity and composition.

Summary of the grazing method.

Vegetation management through grazing requires careful planning and infrastructure adaptation. Poor management can lead to soil degradation, reduced vegetation quality, and increased costs for supplementary measures. Grazing is most suitable for flat areas with access to support from local farmers.

With the Spider Autonomous 2.0 mower, you do not need to worry about these issues. While sheep work according to their needs, the Spider Autonomous 2.0 works reliably according to your plans.

Mowing: precise but costly.

Regular mowing with biomass removal allows perfect control over vegetation. It ensures aesthetics, eliminates weeds, and prevents panel shading. Mowing also helps maintain ecosystem stability by limiting the excessive growth of dominant species.

However, mowing with biomass reduction also has several disadvantages and risks, especially in the long term.

Excessive costs.

The amount of fuel required, machinery maintenance and storage, and labor demands significantly increase the maintenance costs of a solar power plant.

Nutrient depletion.

This method cannot be considered sustainable, particularly on soils with medium or low fertility. Biomass removal gradually reduces soil nutrients. This either leads to sparse vegetation, limiting the ecosystem's benefits or necessitates additional fertilization, incurring extra costs.

Producing mineral fertilizers is associated with the extraction of non-renewable resources and environmental pollution.

Greenhouse gas emissions and logistics.

Harvested biomass requires transport to composting facilities or organic waste sites.Incorrect biomass storage can lead to nitrate release and water pollution. Regular transportation of mown grass increases emissions.

The Spider Autonomous 2.0 eliminates most of these disadvantages. Thanks to its autonomy, it reduces labor demands, optimizes energy consumption, and enables efficient vegetation maintenance through mulching, eliminating the need for biomass transport.

Susceptibility to soil drying.

Removing vegetation cover during mowing increases the risk of soil drying. Exposed soil is subjected to direct sunlight, which worsens the microclimate, and reduces moisture levels.

Risk of soil compaction.

Frequent use of heavy machinery for biomass harvesting can compact the soil, reducing its water absorption capacity and increasing water runoff and erosion risk.

Summary of mowing method.

Mowing is effective for vegetation control but comes with higher costs, environmental impacts (emissions and soil compaction), and nutrient demands. It is particularly suitable for areas with sufficiently fertile soil and budgets that allow regular fertilization and maintenance.

Mulching: an ecological choice.

Mulching is an increasingly popular sustainability method in solar parks. Shredded biomass protects the soil from erosion, retains moisture, and improves the microclimate.

Additional benefits:

  • Nutrients from the biomass naturally return to the soil, reducing the need for fertilization.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions are lower in comparison to biomass transport after mowing.
  • It contributes to carbon sequestration over the long term, mitigating the greenhouse effect.
  • Mulching is suitable for regular maintenance without complex organization or additional infrastructure.
  • It can be applied to various soil types and under different climatic conditions.

Despite these advantages, mulching also involves a number of challenges that must be considered. Most of them can be resolved through proper organization and timing.

Timing requirements.

Poor timing or excessive biomass production can lead to material accumulation on the soil surface. This may affect plant growth negatively, slow down biomass decomposition, and reduce vegetation diversity.Mulching may not effectively suppress invasive weeds. If weeds have already run to seed before mulching, they can continue to spread.

Mulching should be done at the end of spring or early in summer. Late or irregular mulching can result in undesirable changes in botanical composition.

Higher labor demands with fast-growing vegetation.

In areas with rapid biomass growth, mulching may need to be carried out more frequently, increasing maintenance demands. This can lead to higher workload and costs.

Possible limitations in restoring certain plant species.

Some plant species, especially slow-growing or low-resilience ones, may be suppressed by mulching. This could impact grassland biodiversity.

Potential issues in adverse weather.

Lack of rainfall or excessive dryness can slow down biomass decomposition. This can lead to long-term material accumulation, acting as a physical barrier for new shoots.

Summary of mulching method.

Mulching is a low-cost and environmentally friendly method, but it requires careful timing and regularity to avoid negative impacts like biomass accumulation or plant suppression. It is less suitable for areas with high biomass production or invasive weed species.

The Spider Autonomous 2.0 is designed to handle mulching effortlessly. Thanks to its autonomous operation, it reduces labor demands and saves resources, allowing you to mulch whenever needed.

The future of solar park maintenance is autonomous.

The Spider Autonomous 2.0 – an autonomous mower that revolutionizes vegetation maintenance.

It is a comprehensive solution for modern solar parks. It combines the benefits of all traditional methods, minimizes their disadvantages, and introduces a new standard of efficiency and sustainability.

If you want to maximize the performance of your solar park while also taking care of the environment, the Spider Autonomous 2.0 is the solution you are looking for.

Why Spider Autonomous 2.0?

  • Autonomy: the Spider Autonomous 2.0 moves independently, adapts to the terrain, and ensures uniform maintenance.
  • Cost Savings: it reduces labor requirements and fuel costs.
  • Ecological Approach: it supports mulching, contributing to nutrient renewal in the soil, protecting the microclimate, and promoting sustainability.
  • Adaptability: it effortlessly handles sloped terrains where grazing or traditional mowing is unsuitable.
  • Safety: it eliminates the risk of cable damage or panel shading caused by weeds.

Want to know more?

Contact us to find out how the Spider Autonomous 2.0 can contribute to the success of your solar project.

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Benefits of Spider Autonomous 2.0

Lower operation costs
Universal use of terrain mower
More environment-friendly
Easy transport of mower
Perfect supervision and control of the mowers and tasks
Flexibility of use
Maximum safety and comfort while mowing
Productivity and efficiency of mowing.
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What you can expect at our demonstration events?

Experience the latest technology in commercial grass cutting machines and ask your questions.

Demonstration takes about 1 to 2 hours.

Join us at solar power plant commercial mowing

During the session, you will learn about the general information and safety measures at our facility, get a technical overview of the machine, and see a live demonstration of the autonomous lawn mower. We will also present our online portal and web application, and provide insights into how the machine operates within a solar power plant or an orchard.

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Join us to witness the simplicity of the machine's transport, safety features, and cutting precision.

Check in person the advanced features of our product, such as the two-way communication remote control, equipped with a display, vibration, and status alerts, along with a wireless charger.

Get a closer look at the mySpider web application and portal, showing its online status, maps, statistics, and history features.

Check and try in person performance and efficiency of grass cutting

During the session, you will also witness the machine's exceptional performance in cutting the perimeter of a solar power plant. Moreover, we will present the unique ability of our machine to be controlled by a single operator, even for up to three machines at once. And, as a bonus, get a chance to experience the machine's handling in RC mode yourself!

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It is possible to attend a free demonstration at several locations within the same region during this time period.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out our form and we will set up the details together. We will arrange the exact date and location by mail or by phone.

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If you are interested in seeing and trying out the Spider Autonomous 2.0 in person, you just need to fill out our simple registration form.

We will get back to you via e-mail or telephone the following workday at the latest to consult the details concerning the demonstration.

We will arrange a suitable date and place where you may witness the Spider Autonomous 2.0 in action together. 

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