Using sheep as a vegetation maintenance crew is a win-win.
“Ultimately, we’re a business,” said Jesse Puckett, director of sustainability projects and community affairs at Enel. “This is one way that we can enhance the bottom line and build sustainability into our project.”
The animals are more efficient than lawn mowers, since they can get into the nooks and crannies under panel arrays, Puckett said, though some additional mowing is sometimes necessary, which Howard’s company provides along with the sheep. Mowing is also more likely to kick up rocks or other debris, damaging panels that then must be repaired, adding to costs.
Agrivoltaics projects involving sheep have been shown to improve the quality of the soil, since their manure is a natural fertilizer. At a solar installation in Minnesota, where Enel first started grazing sheep in 2017, the company saw a 200 percent improvement in organic matter. Using sheep instead of mowers also cuts down on fossil fuel use, while allowing native plants to mature and bloom. Solar projects that prioritize native plant growth have been found to increase the biodiversity of plants and insects, like native bees, and to reduce soil erosion.
The sheep benefit, too. Shade from solar panels helps them stay cool, and Howard has found they don’t need as much water as when they’re grazing on open fields.