A Solar Project to Restore Prairie and Pollinators
A Restorative Energy Project Takes Shape in Rancho Seco
"California prairie once proliferated across the Central Valley before it was converted to cropland. A new project involving solar power, pollinators, native plants, Native people, and even a salamander is shaping ways to help restore the ecosystem while also advancing clean energy.
EPRI and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) launched the collaborative project this week to test the restoration of pollinator habitat on 20 acres of a decommissioned nuclear generating station near Sacramento.
Researchers and students from the UC Davis Wild Energy Center will use the site as a testbed to evaluate the ideal native plant mix to grow beneath the site’s solar panels. They will assess the site’s habitat for pollinators and the federally protected California tiger salamander, characterize the soil properties and carbon sequestration potential, and co-develop with Indigenous tribes projects that help ensure both energy and socio-ecological benefits at the site."