Transcript:
Many solar companies hire mowers to maintain the area under and around their solar installations, so tall grass and other vegetation do not shade the panels. But some solar firms are taking a different approach.
They’re paying farmers to keep sheep at large-scale solar sites. The animals eat the plants – including those growing in hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Richardson: “So the sheep keep the grass low so the solar panels can produce energy. At the same time, the sheep farmer gets to produce an agricultural product in the form of a lamb crop.”
Kevin Richardson is with the American Solar Grazing Association, which trains solar companies to host sheep and farmers to work at solar sites.
He says the approach can help increase the acceptance of solar in rural areas because the land is still used for agriculture.
And it provides farmers with a steady paycheck, which helps when meat, dairy, or wool markets fluctuate. Plus, it helps them access more land, which they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Richardson: “ … especially in parts of the country like the Midwest and Northeast, where land is really expensive. And it’s also a good entry point for young farmers who don’t have the capital to rent or buy land.”
So Richardson says solar grazing benefits both sheep farmers and solar companies.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
