Pasture Restoration

Site preparation is one of the biggest challenges in our agrivoltaic research. Existing solar sites may have never been used for agriculture, or may have been fallow for many years, making it hard to suppress weeds.

In our pasture restoration trails, we evaluate the impact of varying soil preparation methods and shade zones on the establishment and production of pasture species in agrivoltaic systems.

 Our pasture mixture consists of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolilum perenne L.), white clover (Trifolium repens), chicory (Cichorium intybus) and plantain (Plantago lanceolate L.)
Our soil preparation methods include (i) tillage and plastic cover prior to sowing, (ii) plastic mat cover only, (iii) and herbicide application.