Plant life under solar panels rivals open grassland at a Japanese solar park, study finds
Researchers recorded 211 native-dominated plant species at a former golf course managed only by mowing twice a year.
Plant diversity under the panels of a solar park on a former golf course in central Japan was statistically indistinguishable from that of open grassland after five years of minimal care, according to a study in the Journal of Environmental Management.
Researchers Miharu Nakatani, Akira Noda and Takeshi Osawa surveyed the 169-hectare, 55-megawatt plant in Gujo, in Gifu prefecture, which has been managed only by mowing twice a year since it opened in 2019. They recorded 211 plant species from 54 families across 60 plots, with native species covering more ground than non-native ones in every setting, particularly under the panels.
The vegetation under the panels resembled a forest edge, including shade-tolerant ferns. The researchers credited panel shade and the plant's layout on steep terrain, which keeps every point within about 200 meters of surrounding forest so seeds can spread across the site.
They called the approach "passive ecovoltaics" but warned against "greenwashing" where solar parks replace grassland that supports rare or sun-loving species. Earlier studies, mostly on European farmland, found lower plant diversity under panels.
The study covers one site and one year of surveys, and the authors are calling for longer studies across multiple facilities.
This brief is based on reporting by Brian Publicover, published Oct. 7, 2026, in pv magazine. Read the original: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/10/07/plant-diversity-under-pv-modules-rivals-grassland-at-japanese-solar-park/
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
