All five of our solar farms provide numerous benefits to our communities and customers, but there is a challenge. How do you prevent grass from growing too high and covering the panels? At the St. Joseph Solar Farm, innovation is all about getting into the weeds.

“A traditional lawnmower with blades can damage equipment in the solar farm and the solar panels themselves. Not to mention, a traditional mower can’t adequately mow underneath a panel,” said Mychel Mackowiak, Plant System Owner for I&M. “That’s why to help us stay safe and save time, for the first time this year, we’re using a state-of-the-art robotic lawnmower.”

We’re not talking a small robotic lawnmower, either. The equipment, which is remote controlled,  weighs more than 850 pounds and can cut up to 1.73 acres an hour. For Mackowiak and Joe Adkins, Renewable Tech Sr., who are tasked with maintaining all five solar farms, it provides more than cutting power. 

“The robotic lawnmower gives us an added layer of safety. The grass is thick and tall in the solar farms, using the robot allows us to mow a path between the panels if we need to repair equipment,” Adkins said. “Since we don’t have to physically mow, we are also protected by flying debris and from hidden insect dangers, like wasps and bees.”

In order to efficiently trim under the solar panels, Mackowiak and Adkins wait for the panels to move with the sun in order for the equipment to slip underneath. The robotic lawnmower also protects solar panels since it’s specially designed for solar farm vegetation, built to easily maneuver under the panels and avoids debris flying out from under the mower deck.

“In no way does using the robot impact the electricity being made at the solar farms,” said Mackowiak. “It helps ensure the panels don’t get damaged by a rock or other debris and we won’t have to manually clean grass off the panels either.”

Each of our five solar sites are fully mowed twice a year. The robotic lawnmower will be used at each site.  It takes Mackowiak and Adkins three days each to mow Olive Branch, Twin Branch, Deer Creek and Watervliet solar farms. At our largest and newest solar facility, the St. Joseph Solar Farm, it takes 20 work days to mow between and under more than 58,000 solar panels.

“A lot of people driving by see us out here using this ‘mowbot’ if you will. They stop and ask us about it, even a few wanted to take pictures,” said Adkins. “It’s not only a cool tool, but it has so many benefits to us and to customers who want clean energy.”

At each of our solar sites, a special grass mix is planted. The mix allows grass to grow to certain height and is designed to lay over and smother out the weeds. I&M also has a special pollinator mix to attract bees and butterflies.

“While the work can be tedious and hot, especially out by the black solar panels, it’s pretty peaceful,” said Mackowiak. “You come out here to work and hear birds chirping, butterflies flying around and for the most part, blue skies. I wouldn’t trade the job I have.”

Customers receive power from 15 renewable energy facilities whose combined output can supply nearly 120,000 homes:

• Five solar farms across Indiana and Michigan generate enough energy to power 4,700 homes.
• Power purchase agreements from four Indiana wind farms provide enough energy to power more than 100,000 homes.
• Six hydro-electric dams along the St. Joseph River generate enough energy to power 15,000 homes.

I&M plans to add approximately 2,100 MW of renewable energy by 2028. For more information click here.