The solar industry’s boom has led to an unexpected but beneficial collaboration between humans and sheep in the United States. Large-scale solar farms have started using sheep for grazing, leveraging their ability to navigate small spaces and consume grass efficiently.
Texas-based SB Energy operates the fifth-largest solar project in the country, with a 4,000-acre area generating 900 megawatts of power. The farm employs about 3,000 sheep to maintain the grass under the solar panels, reducing the need for gas-powered mowers.
This trend, known as “solar grazing,” has been adopted by more than 60 projects in the US and involves combining land use for both solar energy production and agriculture. The American Solar Grazing Association notes that 27 states engage in this practice.
Solar grazing provides benefits to both farmers and the sheep market. It allows power plants to coordinate with farmers instead of competing with them, as sunny, flat land is often suitable for livestock grazing. This approach has helped alleviate concerns over land use and has boosted local economies.
However, experts warn that there is still much unknown about the long-term environmental impacts of solar grazing, such as soil viability for future agriculture. More research is needed to fully understand its effects on land productivity and the ecosystem.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/solar-farms-booming-us-putting-thousands-hungry-sheep-117844705