Mowing Under Solar Panels

Towerguard tensioned wire between posts of varying heights.

Mowing under solar panels.

Hand held weed whackers are a labor intensive solution. System owners recognize that growing vegetation under and around pv systems must be minimized to protect their valuable investment. From the cronkite school of journalism amanda mason brings us one. Graze mowers are electric with boosted run times from solar panels.

Even the sheep tried at one small site behaved unreliably. Mowers with traditional blades can damage equipment. Ovocontrol a ready to use bait that controls the reproduction of treated birds. Gridwire tensioned steel cables suspended in various patterns to deter large aquatic birds.

With solar power farms popping up around the country comes the task of controlling vegetation growth under and around the panels. On a humid overcast day in central minnesota a dozen researchers crouch in the grass between rows of photovoltaic pv solar panels. Solar power plants provide many benefits but at least one perpetual challenge. Mowing spraying herbicide grazing sheep goats and covering the area with weed control sheets for example.

The problem was the labor required to mow the grass underneath the newly installed 7 acre solar farm in durham nc at the ge aviation facility. Solar panel protection keeps all birds from getting under solar arrays protecting the roof and equipment. Customers will save significantly on fuel and maintenance costs and will be able to operate effectively and quietly at night. Softee automation and general electric have teamed up for a unique solution.

There are several weed control methods used for pv ground mount systems in japan. Bigmow general electric. Bigmow at ge underneath solar panels in their 7 acre solar field robotic battery powered mowers. How do you keep grass under the panels from growing too high.