Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers

MCE becomes first CCA to require pollinator-friendly solar projects

By Kelsey Misbrener | February 13, 2020

Share

MCE announced a pollinator program requirement designed to safeguard critical habitats. The organization became the first Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program that requires new solar project partners to plant pollinator-friendly ground cover throughout the project site and submit a pollinator scorecard every three years.

This new requirement — which applies to both our Feed-in Tariff program and power purchase agreements — will take even greater advantage of land where solar projects are built, ensuring that the space is used to generate clean energy for our customers, while providing much-needed habitat for pollinators such as monarch butterflies.

“We are greatly encouraged by MCE’s decision to become the first community choice aggregation organization to require a pollinator-friendly scorecard in its solar procurement,” said Rob Davis, director of the Center for Pollinators in Energy. “Requiring disclosure of what will be growing under and around PV solar panels is a critical and meaningful first step toward encouraging greater innovation in ground cover design and management. Recovery of the western monarch population will only happen with thoughtful initiatives that encourage the creation of acres of flowering meadows like this one by MCE.”

Pollinator species including monarch butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds, moths and other wildlife have experienced global population decline over the last 10 years due to habitat loss, climate change and exposure to chemicals such as pesticides.

MCE’s new pollinator program requirement will provide additional habitat for these critical pollinators and ensure best practices for keeping habitats healthy long term, including prohibiting chemical spraying at pollinator sites, and mowing and maintaining the sites at times that are most appropriate for supporting pollinator populations.

“We are very excited about MCE’s recent decision to require pollinator-friendly habitats as part of new solar projects,” said Linzi Gay, Clif Family Winery’s general manager. “MCE is already a strong partner to Clif, allowing us to further our mission by purchasing Deep Green 100% renewable energy. This new policy further demonstrates MCE’s commitment to being a thoughtful community partner.”

News item from MCE

You may also like:


  • Community choice aggregation can accelerate local solar growth in cities…

About The Author

Kelsey Misbrener

Kelsey is senior editor of Solar Power World.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Power Factors acquires Greenbyte energy management software
New California legislation would create 30% tax credit with direct pay option for qualifying microgrids
D.E. Shaw’s 180-MW Utah solar projects will support Facebook data centers
Sol Systems brings 6.5 MW of solar to Walmart stores in California

Exclusive SPW Content

Videos Podcasts Webinars Whitepapers

SPW Digital Editions

Solar Power World Digital EditionBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Solar Power World in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading solar construction magazine today.

Solar Policy Snapshot

Solar policy differs across state lines and regions. Click to see our monthly roundup of recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Read More >

Popular Posts See More >

Panasonic to end solar panel manufacturing
Stand-alone energy storage tax credit legislation introduced in both the House and Senate
How a forced-labor prevention act may affect U.S. solar panel imports
Biden infrastructure plan includes 10-year extension and phase down of direct-pay ITC
Solar Power World
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Solar Articles
  • Top Products
  • Leadership
  • WTWH Media
  • About/Contact Us
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Windpower Engineering & Development

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractor’s Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers