Urban Grid is creating a land of sunshine and honey on a site in Halifax County, Virginia, according to a news release. 

The Houston-headquartered business develops agrivoltaic projects, which combine solar farms and agriculture. 

Urban is working in 12 states on more than 130 acres "under site control," according to the company's website. The hives at the Crystal Hill Solar location will be part of the outfit's first apiary in a meshing of cleaner energy production, pollinator health, and regenerative land management. 

Ten hives full of 500,000 bees are expected to make 400 pounds of honey a year, which will be shared with food banks, faith-based organizations, and schools. The goal is to spread the buzz around the community, the release stated. 

"This is the ripple effect of American made energy — when we use the land well, solar can strengthen the local economy, support farmers, and deliver real benefits to the communities we're part of," Urban Grid's vice president of economic and community development, Val Newcomb, said in the statement. 

The site could be a blueprint for better integrating crucial sustainable energy production with the environment. Solar power is made with no planet-warming air pollution, which is linked by NASA to greater chances for extreme heat that could make some places uninhabitable. 

For their part, bees can use all the help they can get. Penn State reported that some United States beekeepers have lost around 30% of their colonies annually for nearly two decades. The article cited habitat loss, changing weather, disease, and pesticides as factors. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture added that 35% of the world's food yields depend on pollinators. At Crystal Hill, rotational crops will be planted on three acres near the hives, allowing experts to study how the bees are benefiting the harvests.

"We'll be analyzing pollen to identify what species bees are foraging, measuring vegetation changes over time, and comparing site conditions near and far from the hives. This kind of research can help shape smarter, more sustainable solar land use across the country and provide greater opportunities to a wider range of farmers and land managers," Allison Wickham, founding farmer at project partner Siller Pollinator Company, said. 

Solar farms could provide prime habitat for other critters, as well. Urban's Virginia site has already been hosting grazing lambs from nearby farmers as a boon to the local sheep economy.  

What is your biggest concern with EV batteries? They're not efficient enough ⚡ The materials used to make them ⚒️ They're not easily recyclable ♻️ They don't last long enough 🪫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

During it all, the panels will be generating electricity for the grid, all per the release. 

Success won't come as a surprise in Virginia, as studies have already been completed spotlighting the potential for combining solar, bees, and even native plant plots. Other projects are testing the viability of fruit and vegetables grown on solar-powered operations, maximizing land use. 

"In the end, improving vegetation while producing energy is the goal — this is a business, and these innovations help us operate smarter while creating shared value for the communities we're in," Urban's vice president of asset management, Jeff Hudson, said in the release. 

It's a combination that can be replicated at home. Rooftop solar panels can reduce or nix your energy expenses, even though President Donald Trump's spending bill sunsets 30% tax incentives early at year's end, per NPR. EnergySage is a trusted resource that can help you navigate the incentives before they expire, find an installer, and save thousands on upfront costs.

Upgrading to a natural lawn can reduce water use and pricey yard treatments. The domestic vegetation also supports native pollinators, such as honeybees, that rely on the blooms.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.