Sheep are becoming a key ally in solar power generation, according to the Associated Press.
SB Energy is operating the fifth-largest solar power plant in America. It's using local sheep herds to keep the weeds down beneath its 900-megawatt, 4,000-acre array. The livestock are more nimble than lawnmowers and autonomous, too, allowing for more efficient grounds management and reducing maintenance costs. While SB Energy has been using sheep in Texas, solar operations in Iowa have also had success with sheep.
One local company can't keep up with demand and will need to hire another 20 employees this year.
"Just the growth has been kind of crazy for us," said JR Howard, owner of Texas Solar Sheep. "It's been great for me and my family."
The practice is known as agrivoltaics. It combines agriculture and solar power generation on the same parcel of land. Since both place high demands on land, using areas for double duty improves efficiency. It also prevents deforestation to make room for dedicated grazing land. Both livestock and crops benefit from intermittent shade, especially in sunny regions.
Farmers have experimented in marrying solar panels with olive plantations, corn, and wine grapes with success. Other livestock farmers successfully used ducks and cattle.
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Solar power is a vital technology for decarbonizing our electrical grid. The more we can rely on renewable power such as solar, wind, and hydro, the more rapidly we can eliminate coal and gas power plants, which introduce large amounts of pollutants into the atmosphere. Utility-scale solar is the cheapest power available, meaning it's not just good for the planet, but it's good for monthly utility bills, too.
Many farmers see the opportunity as a lifeline for the sheep industry.
"Solar grazing is probably the biggest opportunity that the sheep industry had in the United States in several generations," said San Angelo farmer Reid Redden, per the AP. "I think it softens the blow of the big shock and awe of a big solar farm coming in."
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