Solar panels help rare desert plant flourish in nevada, challenging assumptions about renewable energy development

A rare desert plant is thriving at a solar farm near Las Vegas, offering encouraging evidence that renewable energy development doesn’t have to come at the expense of biodiversity. The threecorner milkvetch, a low-growing member of the pea family that’s being considered for endangered species protection, has seen its population surge from 12 plants to 93 at the Gemini Solar Project site.

The key difference lies in construction approach. Rather than the traditional “blade and grade” method that strips away vegetation and levels soil, the Gemini project preserved the existing ecosystem during development. This gentler technique, called ecovoltaics, appears to have created ideal conditions for the desert plant. Researchers found that milkvetch plants at the solar site grew larger and produced more flowers and fruits compared to nearby undeveloped land, likely because the solar panels provide shade that slows water evaporation and keeps more moisture available for plant growth.

This success story reflects a growing trend in solar development that prioritizes ecological compatibility. Studies in Minnesota have documented similar benefits, with solar sites on former cropland showing sevenfold increases in flowering plant species and dramatic boosts in native bee populations. The approach, which can include seeding with native plants and managing panel heights to accommodate different species’ needs, demonstrates that solar farms can serve as habitat havens rather than ecological dead zones.

The findings suggest that thoughtful solar development could actually enhance biodiversity while generating clean energy, particularly in prairie ecosystems that naturally benefit from periodic disturbance.