What’s the Buzz Around Pollinator-Friendly Solar in Illinois?
- Solar Powers Illinois
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
Key Takeaways
Pollinators remain a core element of food systems across the globe, but they are losing their habitats due to urbanization, causing their populations to decline.
Illinois farms and communities are especially at risk from decline in crop yields and can benefit from solar projects that support biodiversity.
Pollinator-Friendly Solar provides Illinois with a way to expand clean energy while creating a habitat for vital pollinators.
Projects across Illinois are demonstrating how pollinator habitats under solar panels are already working to provide safe habitats for other protected species while serving the community.
During Pollinator Awareness Month, Illinois does not have to choose between producing clean energy or preserving space for farmland and healthy pollinator habitats. Solar farms like the one in Morgan County show how all three can work together.
As of 2026, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that pollinators make up over 200,000 species of animals, like hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, and are responsible for over a third of the world’s total crop production. Illinois has thousands of native pollinators, including approximately 500 species of native bees, who play a vital role in the state’s rich agricultural sector.
However, in recent years, you may have noticed a lack of buzz in your community, as many of these pollinators have been dying due to a loss of habitat from urbanization and climate change.
One 29-acre solar farm in Morgan County, owned and operated by Summit Ridge, is producing up to 4 MW of solar energy for the local community, while working alongside state agencies like the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to provide a home to two threatened species as well as other native pollinators.
The solar farm, constructed in 2020-2021 by Pivot Energy, is one of many pollinator-friendly solar farms which produce clean affordable energy while offering a home to vulnerable pollinators across the country.
How Solar Helps Illinois Pollinators
Currently, 30% of wild pollinator species in agricultural landscapes are threatened by habitat loss and degradation, according to a 2026 report by research platform Gitnux. Through a dual-use process called “agrivoltaics,” pollinator-friendly solar farms not only generate local energy but also provide homes for pollinators who are actively losing their habitats.
By planting pollinator-friendly vegetation under solar panels, these grasses and flowers thrive and provide a habitat for pollinators and other protected species. One 2024 study, by Argonne National Laboratory, saw insect abundance triple around solar farms practicing agrivoltaics, while the population of bees increased by 20 times in just five years.
In Morgan County, a native short-grass prairie seed mix was planted under the solar array including violet species and multiple nectar-producing wildflowers. This mix created a habitat with ideal conditions for the at-risk chorus frog, the pollinator regal fritillary butterfly.
Other pollinators including the eastern tailed blue, gray copper, and orange sulfur butterfly, as well as a variety of bees have been spotted in the new habitat.
Why Pollinator-Friendly Solar Matters for Illinois Farms
The decline in the population of key pollinator species due to urbanization and climate change has also led to an annual crop yield loss worth $235 billion.
This is especially concerning in Illinois, as the state ranks fifth nationally in the export of agricultural products with $10.6 billion worth of goods shipped to other countries, according to the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
Some “agrivoltaic” solar farms combat this decline in crop output by providing more space for crops to grow below their panels. Others, like the pollinator-friendly solar farm in Morgan County, create habitats where pollinator species crucial to crop development can thrive, helping pollinators and farmers in the process.
More and more solar farms across the country are incorporating agrivoltaics into their design, providing dual utility to the community and the environment.
Future of Pollinator-Friendly Solar in Illinois
Following the passage of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), Illinois is continuing its investments in solar energy. With the construction of more solar battery storage, CRGA will bring new construction jobs, tax revenue, and investments in infrastructure to communities across Illinois.
As a result of this growth, there will be more opportunities for the establishment of pollinator-habitats under new solar farms. In a state that is 75% farmland, the development of pollinator-friendly solar is essential.
Besides Morgan County, other pollinator-friendly solar farms across Illinois are already up and running, including farms in Kane, DeKalb, and Whiteside County. These solar farms provide electricity to hundreds while serving as a home to protected species and vital pollinators.
Many developers are already embracing this practice in Illinois, proving that solar can do a lot more for agricultural communities than supplying local, American-made power.
So, in addition to helping Illinois residents save money on their energy bills, solar is helping build a cleaner future. Next time you spot a pollinator, make sure to bee grateful for solar.
This article was originally published on July 7, 2026. It was fact-checked by Solar Powers Illinois experts Lesley McCain, Executive Director of the Illinois Solar Energy & Storage Association (ISEA), Regina McCormack, ISEA Policy Director; and Stephanie Burgos-Vera, Senior Policy Manager, Coalition for Community Solar Access.