Planted Solar: Revolutionizing Solar Energy with Terrain-Following Innovations

Planted Solar, an Oakland-based startup, secured $20 million in Series A funding from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and the Department of Energy to expand its innovative solar installation design. The company's arrays are installed densely like a sheet, following the natural terrain up to a 27% slope, reducing land development costs and increasing energy yield per acre.

This approach is crucial as the U.S. Bureau of Land Management projects a need for 22 million acres for solar projects. Planted Solar claims their arrays, using a higher inverter loading ratio (ILR), offer comparable energy yield to traditional designs while significantly cutting structural costs, installation time, and land use. Their system requires just two acres per megawatt of solar capacity, compared to the usual five.

Planted Solar’s design reduces the necessity for vegetation removal and prevents erosion.

The company uses installation robots, reducing time and costs, and their design minimizes environmental impacts like erosion, detailed in a whitepaper. CEO Eric Brown stated they are transitioning from pilots to larger portfolios, with an 11 MW project in Chicago with Cultivate Power. Brian Matthay of Cultivate Power highlighted the strategic benefits of integrating Planted Solar’s technology with local environments and agricultural operations.