A 27-year-old Tennessee diesel mechanic has left his job to become a full-time livestock farmer after gaining grazing access to more than 400 acres of utility-scale solar farms. The arrangement, made through vegetation management contracts at solar sites, allowed the young farmer to expand his flock to more than 300 breeding ewes without having to buy the large amount of land usually needed for a commercial sheep operation.
Solar grazing, also known as agrivoltaics, is creating new opportunities for small livestock farmers across the American South, according to regional advocacy group Appalachian Voices. The practice involves using sheep to control grass and weeds growing beneath and around ground-mounted solar panels. Solar companies avoid using fuel-powered mowing equipment, while farmers gain access to fenced pasture through long-term grazing agreements.
Access to more than 400 acres of solar pasture gave him enough space to grow his breeding flock to more than 300 ewes. Because of their size, sheep are particularly suited to solar facilities. Reported benefits include higher organic matter in topsoil, better water retention and lower emissions from mowing equipment.
Finding enough affordable pasture remains one of the biggest challenges for people trying to start commercial livestock farms in the United States. In East and Middle Tennessee, rising land prices and suburban growth have pushed the cost of farmland beyond the reach of many young farmers. Sheep grazing on solar farms is becoming a growing partnership between renewable energy companies and local farmers. Research and reporting by Appalachian Voices found that solar operators can reduce vegetation maintenance costs by using local shepherds to manage grass and weeds. Farmers, meanwhile, receive access to pasture and an additional source of income. Unlike cattle and horses, sheep can move under relatively low solar panel structures and graze around steel support posts. Their smaller size also allows them to reach areas where standard mowing equipment may have difficulty operating safely. For the Tennessee producer, income from vegetation management contracts provided the financial security needed to leave his diesel mechanic job and work full-time with his livestock. The large area also made rotational grazing possible. Under this system, sheep are moved between different fenced sections of pasture, giving grass time to recover. Rotational grazing can also help reduce parasite pressure by preventing animals from repeatedly grazing the same areas. The growth of sheep grazing on solar farms in Tennessee is part of a wider trend across the US renewable energy industry. Data from the American Solar Grazing Association shows that livestock are now being used to manage vegetation across tens of thousands of acres of solar installations in the country. Sheep grazing is being used at utility-scale solar facilities in more than two dozen states. The practice is creating additional contract income for livestock farmers while providing solar companies with an alternative to conventional vegetation management. Agrivoltaic sites can also provide environmental benefits. Pastures managed around solar installations can also support soil organisms and pollinators when flowering plants are allowed to grow between grazing cycles. Advocates at Appalachian Voices say combining agriculture with solar development can also reduce some of the land-use concerns surrounding large renewable energy projects.