Beehives at solar farms?

[peterbees]

Do any members have beehives at solar farms. Does it work?
Click here for a proposal. Is this likely to be an example of "greenwashing"?

 

[ericbeaumont]

We've put bees on a solar farm in Essex, Peter, but whether the yields justify it.... No money changed hands and planting for pollinators is not yet on the table; it's probably greenwashing. On the other hand, the site is level and access and security are good.

 

[Ian123]

Do any members have beehives at solar farms. Does it work?
Click here for a proposal. Is this likely to be an example of "greenwashing"?

Who gives a monkeys if it’s green washing those sites normally have a big fence and secure. The actual area of the panels and what’s planted there will be of little significance in comparison to the surrounding area. If it works for you take it up!

 

[Swarm]

Just check if they graze sheep.

 

[ericbeaumont]

what’s planted there will be of little significance

Probably, but it gives us an opportunity to spread the word about planting for pollinators, and to persuade them to put hands in pockets.

 

[Mint Bee]

Had an opportunity to place bees on a proposed solar farm locally, as part of the planning proposal a few years ago. Defiantly greenwashing, but too many NIMBYs around, so it didn't get approval, despite being virtually under the Gatwick flight path. I was told at the time that they would rather mow than have sheep. Something to do with having to upgrade ground power cables to prevent sheep damage.
Would I put them on another development if I had the opportunity. Yes

 

[Nige.Coll]

Got bees next to a 70 acre solar farm.
They wanted bees on it but that wasn't practical and didn't work out, too many footpaths and too much elf n safety.
Then I got a phone call asking me for cheap honey because the bees were on their solar farm.
Corrected them and so far done well out of selling honey to them over the last 12 months.
Another bonus the honey crop at that site went up 300 lbs because they planted it with wildflowers.
Win win for me.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Remember if you have bees on a solar farm they have cameras everywhere so don't pee on the fence.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Remember if you have bees on a solar farm they have cameras everywhere so don't pee on the fence.

Too late: I did that last week.

 

[Apple]

Remember if you have bees on a solar farm they have cameras everywhere so don't pee on the fence.

We have solar cells and an electric fence around one of our apiary sites to keep the steers off!

A couple of years back had some colonies next to a solar farm in Cornwall, lost the lot due to spraying.
God only knows what toxic stuff they were using to kill of anything growing around the solar cells... obviously trying to turn it into a brownfield site for future housing development!

CPRE were made aware!

Chons da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Remember if you have bees on a solar farm they have cameras everywhere so don't pee on the fence.

Reminds me of the hidden security camera trained on a dark corner of Christopher Wren's Custom House, Lower Thames st, London, near the 'carpark' entrance the cozy nook was a regular stop for those couples overwhelmed by the romantic urge shall we say. Often when we popped in (we used to berth at HMS President, and my crew were honorary members of the Yeomen's mess at the tower) there would be a message 'there's a new one in' and some would pop down to the Revenue Constable's hut to view the latest addition to the video library. Only a few chosen officers knew of the camera so colleagues featured in some of the tapes!!.
Sadly, thanks to the last chairman of the board of Customs and Excise, Rochard Broadbent (who sold off all the crown estate to his wife's offshore company for a pound) the Custom House is now closed, staff are being moved out and it has been sold for converting into a luxury hotel

 

[Apple]

Reminds me of the hidden security camera trained on a dark corner of Christopher Wren's Custom House, Lower Thames st, London, near the 'carpark' entrance the cozy nook was a regular stop for those couples overwhelmed by the romantic urge shall we say. Often when we popped in (we used to berth at HMS President, and my crew were honorary members of the Yeomen's mess at the tower) there would be a message 'there's a new one in' and some would pop down to the Revenue Constable's hut to view the latest addition to the video library. Only a few chosen officers knew of the camera so colleagues featured in some of the tapes!!.
Sadly, thanks to the last chairman of the board of Customs and Excise, Rochard Broadbent (who sold off all the crown estate to his wife's offshore company for a pound) the Custom House is now closed, staff are being moved out and it has been sold for converting into a luxury hotel

 

[Ian123]

“A couple of years back had some colonies next to a solar farm in Cornwall, lost the lot due to spraying.”........................Is that suspicion or fact, I take it you sent off samples and had the BI out.

 

[Apple]

“A couple of years back had some colonies next to a solar farm in Cornwall, lost the lot due to spraying.”........................Is that suspicion or fact, I take it you sent off samples and had the BI out.

That was about nine years ago [time goes by!].. SBI took samples, but never had anything back.. I think the whole of the Bee Unit was undergoing some sort of shake up at the time with departments being closed or moved to other lab services.

This was the only time that I have had my own bees die from spraying... but have seen the results from paraquat spray that a friend decided would be a good way to get rid of weeds in his apiary!
Some many years ago.. the stuff has now been withdrawn from sale I believe?

This years Defra (NBU) report on our honey sample collected by our SBI was clear of any "substances"

 

[oxnatbees]

A solar farm near me hadcan open day. I discussed hives. They said they sprayed with herbicide 1-2 times a year. Some farms are built more robustly so sheep - and even cattle - can graze between the panels, but for some reason they had done a less robust mounting system at this site. So to answer the question, yes, SOME solar farms spray and others use grazing.

 

[Mint Bee]

A solar farm near me hadcan open day. I discussed hives. They said they sprayed with herbicide 1-2 times a year. Some farms are built more robustly so sheep - and even cattle - can graze between the panels, but for some reason they had done a less robust mounting system at this site. So to answer the question, yes, SOME solar farms spray and others use grazing.

Initial capital cost verses maintenance costs.
Far cheaper to use less steel and cabling and pay for a spray / mow a couple of times a year. Choice is probably also depends on whether developers think they need to project a more green image of combined live stock farming, so maintaining co-agricultural use for planning consent

 

[peterbees]

Thanks for all the very interesting responses.