Expert Insights

Soil, water, and vegetation—three critical ecological components of a successful utility-scale solar or distributed generation solar site. Although these elements may be an afterthought from an asset management perspective, an effective vegetation management plan plays a critical role in the long-term efficiency, safety, and sustainability of a solar energy site. It helps maximize energy production, protect infrastructure, and comply with regulatory requirements, while also contributing to community and environmental stewardship.

Business resilience is more important than ever. As we’ve all experienced in the years since 2020, unprecedented shifts in society and the economy can result in long-term ripple effects that defy a “return to normal.” True business resilience is surviving and thriving in the “new normal” by having the ability to respond and adapt to unexpected changes while preparing for the ever-evolving global business landscape.

As the current administration prioritizes addressing the legacy of unsafe and environmentally harmful abandoned mining sites, mining reclamation projects are on the rise. In this piece, I’ll explore taking an ecological restoration response to reclaiming abandoned mine lands (AML) that supports traditional engineering solutions, integrating nature-based solutions into the world of mining reclamation. While the focus is on abandoned mine lands, we can use the same approaches for the closure of operational mines.