Nicholas School of the Environment

Permanent URI for this collection

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/52

Master's projects by Nicholas School of the Environment students, including the Duke Marine Laboratory.

The masters project is done in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the professional Master of Environmental Management or the Master of Forestry degree. While the MP may include original laboratory or field research, it may also take the form of management plans, handbooks, educational curricula, or other such products. Each student is advised by a faculty member who reviews and approves the project prior to completion.

A masters projects that is original research should not be as large as a masters thesis although it should be of publishable quality but not necessarily comprehensive enough to stand alone as a publication. A masters projects that does not follow the usual format for scientific research should follow a framework that is considered good practice in an appropriate field.

Duke migrated to an electronic-only system for masters projects between 2006 and 2010. As such, projects completed between 2006 and 2010 may not be part of this system, and those created before 2006 are not hosted here except for a small number that have been digitized.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 303

Open Access
A Case Study Review of The Actual and Potential Role That Multinational Corporations Play in Global Mangrove Governance
(2022-04-21) Fahrenholz, Jacqueline
Since 1970, global mangrove loss has peaked and slowed with recent restoration efforts having some success. Though current instruments used have not proven to be sufficient to return global mangrove cover to historical levels. This study aimed to answer to what extent the private sector is contributing to mangrove reforestation over the last 10 years and what the driving factors behind this are. News articles were searched for examples of such initiatives, and their underlying motivations were identified. Across the last 10 years and 1,147 returned articles, only 5 instances were discovered, suggesting that this is a new phenomenon. In each of these cases, the companies were motivated to voluntarily undertake mangrove restoration because of the added benefit of carbon credits. These findings suggest that public private partnerships may provide support for success moving forward as private companies have larger sources of available funding. Inclusive policy will also be a necessary component to join entities together.
Open Access
A Comparative Analysis Between Biofuels and the Food & Agricultural Industries
(2024-04-26) Yao, Yao; Llonch, Madeleine; Mutha, Srishti
As of 2020, 35% of corn was grown for animal feed, 31% for biofuel, and less than 2% for human consumption. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), specifically Section 45Z, offers tax credits to farmers cultivating low-carbon intensity corn for clean transportation fuels, potentially reshaping corn allocation trends. For this Master’s Project, we collaborated with Rabobank to explore the implications of this policy shift, with a particular focus on corn allocation dynamics across human consumption, feedstock, and biofuel sectors. The potential for competition arises as farmers may prioritize selling to the fuel industry to capitalize on incentives, which could reshape traditional corn allocation trends. However, uncertainties about the adequacy of incentives from food companies to counteract this shift remain. This project aims to provide Rabobank with insights into how the IRA will influence farmers' crop allocation decisions and to understand the competitive landscape between the food and renewable fuel industries. The research finds that ethanol producers are incentivizing farmers to cultivate low-carbon intensity crops through sustainability initiatives. Nonetheless, uncertainties about the level of financial support and premium payments to farmers create barriers to adopting sustainable practices. In contrast, food companies seem to have a limited approach to incentivizing low carbon crop cultivation, mainly focusing on educational initiatives rather than offering substantial financial incentives. This highlights the comparative advantage of biofuel companies in encouraging agricultural practices. Despite potential competition concerns, the food industry's impact is expected to be minimal as the U.S. has a sufficient corn supply to meet domestic needs or import as necessary. Additionally, the renewable fuels landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with new alternatives like renewable diesel poised to reshape the industry. If biodiesel becomes a dominant renewable fuel, it may reduce competition between the food and ethanol industries regarding corn sourcing, thereby offering a different avenue for renewable fuel production. To gain a deeper understanding of these dynamics, we conducted interviews with stakeholders from various sectors, including farmers and professionals from the food and agriculture industry. These interviews offered invaluable insights into considerations such as costs, transportation, and crop rotation. We also examined the intricacies of incentives for farmers, how they are informed about new opportunities, and the impact of trends. Discussions included topics such as regenerative agriculture, challenges presented by the IRA, and how the food industry could effectively compete with renewable fuels for sourcing low-carbon crops, informing future strategies and policies. In conclusion, this research project highlights the evolving landscape of agricultural production and renewable fuels, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies and collaborative efforts to navigate the transition towards a more sustainable future.
Open Access
A Curriculum of Resilience: Increasing Personal Resilience through Environmental Education
(2023-04-27) McCollum, Aurora
As more communities feel the impacts of climate change, the field of environmental education (EE) has been incorporating climate change topics into EE curriculum. One such topic, resilience, has begun to emerge. Most EE resilience activities focus on ecological resilience rather than personal resilience, even though both of these concepts are deeply intertwined with climate change. This paper explores a case study of resilience in EE that explicitly connects personal and ecological resilience via a middle school resilience curriculum co-created by researchers, resilience practitioners, and educators in coastal North Carolina. This curriculum blends personal and ecological resilience concepts using activities including storytelling. This study examines how teachers responded to the co-created curriculum writing process and the resulting resilience curriculum. Specifically, we asked, 1. What were teachers' perspectives on the challenges and benefits of the co-creation curriculum design experience? 2. What were teachers’ perspectives on the challenges and benefits of teaching the interdisciplinary resilience curriculum? Our initial results identified four themes of teacher-identified benefits and five themes of teacher-identified challenges of resilience curriculum and curriculum design experience. Benefits include themes like meeting a distinct local need and engaging with like-minded professionals. Challenges include themes like the difficulty of navigating middle school identities when trying to be vulnerable and students knowing the right answers but having trouble applying those answers to their personal lives. We will use these preliminary findings to iterate and improve on the curriculum and design process to better serve the teachers and students in this area.
Open Access
A Deep Dive into Hawaii’s Seafood Industry: Reducing Fish Processing Waste
(2024-04-25) Seagle, Jenna
Fish processing waste generated throughout the Hawaiian Islands presents both a challenge and an opportunity for local seafood distributors. This research explores potential waste management strategies to alleviate the negative impacts of seafood waste, increase product development, and grow revenue for Hawai‘i-based seafood distributors. Through a survey of seafood distributors in Hawai‘i and a document analysis of strategies from other regions, particularly the Iceland Ocean Cluster, this research identifies potential value-added products and management practices to enhance revenue streams and reduce the adverse effects of fish processing waste. The survey results reveal the current composition, amount, and management strategies regarding seafood processing waste in Hawai‘i. The document analysis identifies successful models of collaboration, value-added product development, financing opportunities, technological innovation, and market development. The recommendations outlined in this report provide a roadmap for navigating challenges and identifying opportunities to minimize fish processing waste and maximize revenue within Hawaii’s seafood industry.
Open Access
A Geospatial Analysis of Species of Interest in US Atlantic Wind Energy Areas
(2023-04-28) O'Brien, Bryce R
Although the rapid development of offshore wind energy inspires hope for a low-carbon electric grid, this climate solution may simultaneously threaten marine wildlife and ecosystems in ways that are not fully understood. In this study, I conduct a geospatial analysis of species of interest to support the DoE and BOEM funded Wildlife and Offshore Wind (WOW) project: a consortium of experts led by Duke University seeking to better understand the potential impacts of offshore wind development on marine wildlife. This analysis utilizes models from the following cetacean and seabird species, all of which have been identified by Project WOW members as species representative of at-risk marine wildlife: The Fin whale, Common minke whale, Humpback whale, North Atlantic right whale, Red-throated loon, Northern gannet and Great black-backed gull. By mapping the seasonal distribution of these species, this study provides insight into when, where, and how much spatial overlap exists between these species of interest and offshore wind areas in the US Atlantic. Results from this study also shed light onto the representativeness of offshore wind areas with respect to marine wildlife abundance, helping inform future offshore wind energy research planning and development.
Open Access
A Geospatial Approach to Understanding Poaching Behavior of ESA-listed and Endemic Dudleya on Santa Cruz Island within Channel Islands National Park
(2023-04-28) Wood, Emily
The Covid 19 pandemic has catalyzed the increase in plant poaching incidents, particularly with species of Dudleya in California. As people were confined to their homes, houseplant collecting popularity rose worldwide. For Santa Cruz Island, the threat is great with large areas of land and few on-ground managers to monitor for such risks. These managers face the challenge of how best to predict poaching before it occurs in an area to maximize the efficiency of their smaller staff. Using geospatial data, I model three distinct poaching behaviors to gain a better understanding on how to proactively monitor for poaching events. I also use the models to identify areas where certain poaching behaviors are not represented, presenting an opportunity for model tuning through site visits. Through proactive behavioral modeling, land managers have an increased understanding of where to focus their attention to minimize poaching risk.
Open Access
A Global Analysis of the Climate Risk of Women in Small-Scale Fisheries
(2023-04-28) Deeg, Claudia Suzanne
Open Access
A Global Database of Tenure and Access Rights for Small-Scale Fisheries: A Preliminary Assessment
(2022-04-21) Tholan, Brittany
Small-scale fisheries (SSF) provide essential protein and nutrition to billions of people worldwide, employ more than 90 percent of the world’s fishers, and account for about 40% of the global fisheries catch. Yet, their contribution to sustainable development is often overlooked and undervalued. Using data from 51 country case studies from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests (IHH) Project, the EDF Fishery Solutions Center, and a co-management database from Gutierrez, Hilborn and Defeo (2011), I compile a database of tenure and access rights in SSF, an indicator for Sustainable Development Goal 14.b to “provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets.” By using a broad definition of Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURFs), I explore how fishers access resources, what rules and rights govern their interactions, and if their power is de jure or de facto. This assessment reveals “new” TURFs from old systems of self-governance and finds evidence of property rights in freshwater and inland fisheries, seasonal or temporary arrangements, specific fishing methods, and familial lineages. In addition, two case studies highlight the potential benefits and challenges of declaring rights-based fisheries “other effective area-based conservation measures” (OECMs) – a new area-based designation. The evidence presented in this study builds the case for recognizing de facto property rights as a potential means for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development and lays the foundation for future research efforts.
Open Access
A Habitat Model of the Short-finned Pilot Whale in Correlation with the Gulf Stream
(2024-04-25) Papas, Jasmine
Habitat models are crucial to understanding how a species interacts with its surrounding environments. Despite being a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, little is known about the spatial extent of the short-finned pilot whales that live along the eastern coast of the United States. The short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) is one of two pilot whale species found in the northwestern Atlantic with both habitats overlapping around the Mid-Atlantic Bight. Previous literature has shown that the whales forage along the continental shelf break just off the coast of North Carolina, with some evidence to excursions in the Gulf Stream. The aim of this project was to create a habitat model for the short-finned pilot whales and examine possible correlation with Gulf Stream front. A General Additive Model (GAM) was created to better understand which environmental factors have the largest correlation with short-finned pilot whale sightings. Three environmental factors were analyzed based on their importance to pilot whales: sea surface temperature (SST), bathymetry, and proximity to continental shelf break. SST data was collected from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) and the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) to compare real-time high-resolution data to predictive low-resolution data. I found that sea surface temperature and bathymetry had the largest correlation with short-finned pilot whale sightings across both datasets. This suggests that the whales have a strong preference to areas of certain temperature gradients and depth. I deduce that the short-finned pilot whales are likely to follow the Gulf Stream front as long as waters remain in their preferred temperature range. With this knowledge, we can better determine how the short-finned pilot whales may react to rising ocean temperatures and how their habitats will adapt along the way.
Open Access
A Preliminary Approach to Determining the Presence of Formal Co-Management in Small-Scale Fisheries
(2023-04-28) Risius, Alexandra
Millions of people rely on small-scale fisheries (SSF) for their livelihoods and as a source of vital, nutrient-dense food. Despite the sector’s economic, environmental and cultural significance, SSF are commonly overlooked and ill-defined, leading to fisheries being poorly managed. As SSF continue to make contributions to global fisheries production, it is important that alternative fisheries management approaches are implemented and appropriately supported to ensure SSF sustainability. Co-management is one viable management option that would allow for management power to be split between the government and resource users. This document showcases a methodology that is intended to be used as a starting point for determining co-management within a given SSF. It is designed with stakeholders, students, and researchers as key audiences in mind. This document will use a case study that highlights Chile's SSF to give the user a real-world example of how to implement the methodology and find evidence of co-management principles within their target country.
Open Access
A Report on the Energy Transition in the EU
(2024-04-23) Dobrinov, Alexander
Open Access
A ridge-to-reef framework to protect Guam's water quality and coral reef ecosystem
(2023-04-25) Castro, Frances
Watershed pollution and fisheries exploitation are the priority, chronic stressors that impact Guam’s coral reefs. Yet, quantifying the relative contribution of individual stressors to any particular reef is difficult due to natural variations in biological assemblages across island scales and uncertain site-specific disturbance histories. A study of 26 sites in southern Guam watersheds shows the effects of pollution on coral reef and fish assemblages. Community, government, and legislative action need to take place to improve Guam’s water quality standards.
Open Access
A Site Prioritization for Shortleaf Pine Restoration in Duke Forest
(2022-12-10) Sneed, Anne
Historically, shortleaf pine forests spanned some 70-80 million acres in the U.S. Since then, the species has declined dramatically—today, only 6 million acres of shortleaf-dominated forests remain, roughly 10 percent of its historic range. North Carolina alone has seen a 60 percent decline in shortleaf pine acreage since 1990. There are several reasons for the decline, including fire suppression, land use changes from forest to urban-suburban development, and disease and pests. Due to these losses, the Duke Forest is seeking to restore shortleaf pine on its land. For this project, key site characteristics of Duke Forest parcels are collected, analyzed, and compared to historical data using geospatial analysis and habitat suitability modeling. The analysis is then used to identify candidate restoration sites for shortleaf pine within Duke Forest’s Durham and Korstian divisions. This site prioritization sets the stage for a successful restoration project of shortleaf pine in Duke Forest.
Open Access
A Town on the Water Map: Lessons from Ivanhoe, NC
(2023-04-28) Otero, Catherine
In July 2022, Sampson County was awarded $13.2 million from the State of North Carolina to connect 350 households in Ivanhoe, NC to county water. The grant comes after community organizing efforts for water access and moves Ivanhoe towards fulfilling the community’s 20-year desire of getting connected to county water. The grant money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for water infrastructure which is administered via the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)’s Drinking Water Reserve program. The following report combines perspectives from state, county, and community levels surrounding the successful application by Sampson County on behalf of Ivanhoe. Information was gathered through background research on water infrastructure and review of meeting minutes, news coverage, and DEQ documentation. Interviews with community members, an engineer, and county and state officials were also conducted. Federal funds reach local water projects in North Carolina through multiple DEQ loan and grant programs. The American Rescue Plan Act resulted in a large influx of funding into DEQ’s Drinking Water Reserve and Wastewater Reserve with a non-earmarked $191.3 million dedicated to water and wastewater systems at-risk of becoming distressed. The Ivanhoe water project qualified for this grant funding. Sampson County’s water system serves approximately 6,033 customers and Ivanhoe, a predominantly Black, low-income rural community is not included in those numbers. Ivanhoe community members depend on private wells currently and complain of low water quality. Funding issues are the most notable reason why Ivanhoe has had to wait so long for connections. The Ivanhoe community organized to encourage Sampson County to apply for grant funding from the state in Spring 2022. Connections to municipal water will provide a regulated standard of water to Ivanhoe residents and draw further investment to the area, community members hope. The report aims to inform how DEQ loan and grant processes can be made more accessible to communities especially those that are considered at-risk according to DEQ metrics. The report offers: takeaways for other communities hoping to advocate for themselves to get their local governments to apply on their behalf for funding, takeaways for DEQ to improve their loan/grant application processes through increased community engagement, and ideas for how DEQ may be able to boost its outreach resources and increase water access to communities.
Open Access
Accessibility Improvement for the North Carolina Coastal Reserve
(2023-04-21) Campbell, Peyton
The N.C. Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve have 10 sites located around North Carolina that provide the public with recreational, educational, and research experiences within the ecosystems that they manage and preserve. To improve accessibility, this study reviews current accessibility at Reserve sites, provides broad legal background about accessibility in the U.S., provides Reserve history and use goals, and offers recommendations for accessibility improvement for each site where improvement is possible. These recommendations include product recommendations, product cost estimates, site-specific recommendations, and recommendations that apply to all, or most, Reserve sites. Final recommendations include a range of different costs, timeframes, and requirements to implement.
Open Access
Accumulation and Distribution of Trace Elements and Radionuclides in Agricultural Soils Impacted from Long-term Phosphate Fertilizer Application
(2023-04-20) Hu, Jun
Excessive application of phosphate fertilizers can result in the accumulation of both phosphorus (P) and trace metals (U, Cd) in agricultural soils, which could end up in crops and cause chronic harms to the environment. Here we investigate the quality of soils in a long-term trial corn/soybean field at the Tidewater Research Station, North Carolina, where both surface soils (top 20 cm) and subsurface soils (up to 150 cm) were collected from five plots with different application rates of P-fertilizer since 1966. We analyzed a broad range of major nutrients and trace elements with focus on metals and metalloids including Cd, U, V, Cr, As, and Sr, which are notably enriched in the used P-fertilizer relative to local background soil. The study aims to investigate the trace elements accumulation, distribution, and mobilization in the soils. The results show that the impact of long-term P-fertilizer application was mostly manifested in the top layers of the soils compared to deeper soils, with the exception of As showing accumulation in the deeper soils. Among the five plots, bulk soils applied with higher rates of P-fertilizers had higher concentrations of P and trace elements than soils without using P-fertilizers. The concentration of Cd was significantly correlated with that of P (r = 0.97, p = 0.005) in the bulk surface soils, indicative of its direct contribution from P-fertilizer and accumulation in the soil. In contrast, other trace elements exhibited weaker or little correlations with P in the bulk surface soils. The potential bioavailability of elements in soils was assessed via the Mehlich III extraction method, showing that the higher application rate of P-fertilizer, the higher percent of bioavailability was found for Cd (up to 65% of the bulk soil) and P (up to 56%), whereas the other trace elements had much lower bioavailable fractions (0.4 – 12%). Strong correlations (r > 0.9, p < 0.05) were observed between the bioavailable concentrations of P and that of Cd, U, Cr, V, As, Sr in the surface soils. This indicates that the bioavailable form of trace elements is more sensitive in reflecting the impacts from P- fertilizer on surface soils. Four-step sequential leaching tests (i.e., F1: exchangeable, F2: reducible, F3: oxidizable, and F4: residual) conducted for the surface soils indicated differential mobilization of trace elements under different P-fertilizers application rates. Greater portions of Cd were found in the mobile fractions (F1 – F3) of soils with higher P-fertilizer input, while Sr was dominantly present in the residual fraction (F4: 95 – 97%), and redox-sensitive elements were higher in the reducible (As, V) and oxidizable (U, Cr) fractions than Sr, reflecting their redox-dependent mobilization potential. Overall, our systematic data analysis shows the effect of long-term P-fertilizer application on the accumulation of trace elements in soils. Further studies should evaluate the uptake of trace elements by crops and their mobilization to the underlying groundwater resources.
Open Access
AN ANALYSIS OF GREEN HYDROGEN TO AMMONIA MARKET OPPORTUNITIES
(2022-04-22) Gulati, Akash
Building off a previous internship with a large renewable energy company, this Masters Project analyzes the additional cost for conversion, transportation, and cracking of hydrogen to ammonia. Previous work for the client analyzed three additional hydrogen conversion and transportation pathways. All four pathways are summarized below. • Hydrogen compression, gaseous trucking, onsite gaseous storage • Hydrogen compression, pipeline transportation, onsite gaseous storage • Hydrogen liquefaction, liquid trucking, onsite liquid storage, vaporization • Hydrogen storage, ammonia generation, liquid ammonia trucking, onsite liquid ammonia storage, ammonia cracking back to hydrogen (analyzed here) This masters project found that the conversion of hydrogen to ammonia as a transportation pathway is never the cheapest option on a dollar per kilogram H2-mile basis. This is because the pathway requires many chemical and thermodynamic conversions, each with their own efficiency losses: generation of renewable electricity, electrolysis to generate hydrogen, the Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia, ammonia storage, ammonia transportation, and subsequent cracking of ammonia back to hydrogen. In total the pathway analyzed in this MP has a 24% cycle efficiency. In addition to analyzing the ammonia conversion pathway, the client requested an analysis of the existing hydrogen and ammonia markets. Much of this Masters Project is devoted to developing a thorough understand of the many use cases, generation technologies, and transportation pathways for these two crucial molecules. Additionally, the client requested an analysis of the major players in the ammonia-based fertilizer market as a basis for a market entry strategy into this space. Research found that hydrogen can be made from renewable electricity, steam, coal, or almost any other energy source, each with its own level of associated carbon emissions. Hydrogen is used primarily for oil and gas refining, ammonia production, methanol production, steelmaking, transportation, and many other applications. Once made, hydrogen can be transported as a compressed gas in trucks or pipelines, as a liquid in trucks, or converted to ammonia for transportation. Ammonia is made by combining hydrogen with nitrogen using the Haber-Bosch process. The color (grey, green, blue, etc.) of hydrogen that is used is a large determinant of the carbon intensity of the ammonia produced. Ammonia is used primarily for fertilizer production, and to a lesser extent in the refining of oil and gas and the production of specialty chemicals. Once made, ammonia can be transported in gaseous pipelines, or liquefied and transported on trucks, barges, or ships. Most major ammonia producers have committed to decarbonizing their operations. This will require the use of green hydrogen to produce green ammonia as a feedstock. It is estimated that 15% of the global ammonia market will be served by green hydrogen by 2030. This represents a large opportunity for renewable energy companies such as my client. Ammonia manufacturing is also a highly concentrated market, with seven US manufacturers representing 70% of the total production capacity. Strategic analysis of the existing markets found that the two key market advantages for renewable energy companies are location and market growth. Renewable electricity is cheap in the areas where ammonia is currently made. This removes conversion and transportation costs from the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen calculation and allows green hydrogen to be more competitive, although still not at parity with grey hydrogen. Additionally, although currently nascent, the market for green ammonia is expected to reach $500 million by 2025 and $1.5 billion by 2050. As the market grows, renewable energy companies will have ample opportunities to sell electricity to ammonia producers. The two main market entry challenges identified in this analysis are competition from industrial gases manufacturers and the lack of national regulatory support in the form of carbon pricing. Industrial gases manufacturers currently own the customer relationships with ammonia producers and are expected to be very protective and cost competitive. Most the industrial gases companies have short term decarbonization plans that involve the implementation of blue hydrogen, and longer-term plans involving green hydrogen. Additionally, none of the states with high volumes of ammonia production currently have a carbon tax. This results in green hydrogen and ammonia being more expensive than the currently used grey hydrogen and ammonia. The client should begin their ammonia entry by developing small scale hydrogen off-taker agreements with large ammonia manufactures who are interested in green hydrogen. By bringing hydrogen production expertise in-house the client for this MP will be able to reduce the price gap between green and grey hydrogen and become a market leader in this emerging and quickly grown space.
Open Access
An Analysis of Material Use in Living Shorelines
(2024-04-25) Exar, Laura
Coastal areas are increasingly affected by anthropogenic climate change through aspects such as flooding and storm surge. Historically, hard structural enforcements like seawalls and bulkheads have been utilized to mitigate these hazards, however, these additions are associated with adverse effects, including increased wave energy, erosion to adjacent properties, and maintenance costs. As an alternative to hard structures, nature-based solutions, such as living shorelines, are now being utilized due to their combined coastal protection and biodiversity benefits. Recent literature has highlighted the knowledge gaps surrounding living shoreline design and material use. Here, we utilize a literature review and field experiment to understand material use in living shorelines and how structural heterogeneity can influence species abundance. The literature review results reveal geographic and temporal trends in the materials utilized. Field results show that increasing the surface heterogeneity of artificial structures resulted in increased oyster abundance. These results are crucial for understanding the most appropriate and efficient designs and materials to further living shoreline implementation.
Open Access
An Analysis of Optimal Agricultural Edge of Field Practices To Maximize Sustainability Efforts
(2024-04-26) Aletani, Salwa; Cheung, Yingchi
Agriculture is one of the biggest industries globally, with various impacts on ecosystems, climate change, biodiversity, and water conservation. Increasing the sustainability of farms is powered by innovative solutions provided to farmers to address agricultural challenges that impact the environment. This project focuses on sustainability practices that are implemented on the edges of fields, and how such practices can increase sustainable agricultural practices integration. A meta-analysis is performed to evaluate the viability of all the available edge of field practices, conduct a cost-benefit analysis to maximize opportunities for using edge of field practices, and craft a final recommendation of the practices that have the highest potential for farmers.
Open Access
An Ecologically Focused Guide to Community Solar Siting and Development
(2024-04-25) Bowlin, Isaac; Dye, Logan; Freedman, Jacob
The rapid expansion of utility-scale solar energy (USSE) development presents a significant challenge to achieving renewable energy goals while minimizing impacts on land use and wildlife. Current USSE siting practices prioritize efficient and cost-effective development strategies that do not adequately consider ecological impacts. This problem necessitates the development of ecologically friendly siting and facility arrangement strategies that minimize the effects of solar development on ecosystems and wildlife while promoting sustainable land use practices. However, the best management practices needed to achieve these objectives are still quite ambiguous, with minimal research conducted to quantify wildlife impacts and provide clear guidelines for policy implementation. Distributed solar generation (DSG) presents an alternative development strategy, generating electricity close to demand centers using smaller, localized solar arrangements. Community solar, a specific form of DSG, exemplifies this decentralized approach by allowing multiple community members to collectively benefit from a shared solar installation, expanding access to clean energy while reducing land use impacts. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Highline Renewables, our research analyzes the known implications of USSE, the potential for DSG to improve habitat connectivity, and the state policies enabling innovative community solar siting practices. This report seeks to inform researchers, policymakers, and solar developers of policy frameworks and development practices that prioritize sustainable solar development. Chapter 1 conducts a literature review on the known ecological impacts of USSE development, informing ecologists about and encouraging solar developers to employ low-impact siting strategies. Chapter 2 performs a novel, standalone geospatial analysis demonstrating how various solar facility arrangements and siting locations impact bobcat (Lynx rufus) connectivity. This analysis can help developers make informed decisions regarding solar facility placement and reinforces the need for policy frameworks that enable DSG. Next, in Chapter 3, we review current and emerging state community solar markets and provide recommendations to policymakers for designing future policies. Finally, in Chapter 4, we examine the role of agrivoltaics, the integration of solar generation with agricultural activities, as a strategy for developers to reduce solar facility land use impacts. Our Chapter 1 literature review found that USSE facilities cause direct mortality to aquatic insects, birds, and bats while altering the movement and connectivity of ground-dwelling animals such as Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) and Florida Panthers (Puma concolor). However, significant knowledge gaps exist in understanding these impacts—notably, the lack of Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) studies and the limited geographic scope of research. Nearly 50% of the existing U.S. research has been conducted in the desert southwest, severely limiting the ability to extrapolate findings to the broader U.S. Wildlife-friendly fencing and vegetation management can help maintain suitable habitat; however, these solutions must be studied in other regions to assess their effectiveness. The geospatial analysis conducted in Chapter 2 reveals that both siting practices and spatial arrangement of solar facilities greatly impact species movement across a landscape. By analyzing how the predicted movement patterns of bobcats in southeast Ohio responded to both a USSE development in Dixon Run and the theoretical redistribution of Dixon Run’s generation capacity, we found that by redistributing capacity across the landscape, impacts on bobcat movement are reduced. However, a sensitivity analysis revealed that the locations of the distributed solar were in areas already deemed poor habitat for bobcats. That said, it is important to note that relocation of a USSE facility the size of Dixon Run to the areas considered poor bobcat habitat was practically impossible. Small, localized installations were the only way to build in these areas. Our policy analysis reveals significant variation among individual state community solar markets in the size of allowable projects, subscriber composition, and siting practices they encourage. Maryland and Ohio demonstrate different approaches to community solar policy, with Maryland emphasizing reducing barriers to low and moderate-income (LMI) participation, while Ohio promotes solar development on distressed sites and brownfields. Notably, state community solar markets often lack specific incentives that promote low-impact siting practices that minimize the solar facility’s impact on the local habitat. To improve future community solar legislation, policymakers should offer grants, tax credits, and other financial incentives that prioritize the preservation of existing topsoil and vegetation, site away from ecologically sensitive areas, and support innovative land use practices, including agrivoltaics. Implementing agrivoltaics offers a promising solution to reducing the siting impacts of USSE facilities and the competing land demands for agricultural production and solar development. The literature reviewed demonstrates that agrivoltaic systems can benefit agricultural productivity, land use efficiency, panel efficiency, and livestock and ecosystem health. Agrivoltaic systems offer the greatest benefits under specific conditions, specifically hot and dry climates, where the shading provided by panels mitigates the effects of excessive heat and water stress on crop productivity and livestock well being. However, the efficacy of agrivoltaic systems can vary and is contingent upon various factors such as shading distribution, crop sensitivity, and environmental conditions. Future research into agrivoltaics should focus on optimizing system design, evaluating financial performance, and fostering landowner engagement to ensure the successful implementation of this innovative approach to land use.

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