Vegetation management in solar farms may require mowing several times a year to prevent shading of the panels and to allow maintenance work to be performed safely. Sheep grazing in solar farms naturally accomplishes this task. Sheep help control the spread of invasive plants without the use of chemical herbicides and improve habitats for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
“Solar power production can be integrated with nature and agriculture in a way that benefits all parties. Our goal is to produce clean energy while simultaneously promoting local biodiversity and sustainable development”, explains Ilmatar’s Project Developer, Inka Hirvonen.
Roles and responsibilities in solar grazing
Agrivoltaics and solar grazing can be practiced collaboratively, even if the solar farm is built on land owned by a third party. Solar grazing always requires the landowner’s permission.
In this collaborative model, the farmer or grazer gains access to land without having to own or lease it. In addition to free land use, the grazer is also entitled to other economic advantages, as the energy producer pays the farmer a service fee for vegetation management.
The energy producer is responsible for sowing the base vegetation in the area. After the solar farm is operational and the base vegetation has grown, an appropriate grazing area is designated for the sheep to ensure uniform grazing across the entire pasture. A general guideline is approximately ten sheep per hectare. Regular movement of the sheep supports biodiversity and ensures balanced vegetation management. Panel rows can be used to support fencing, making grazing even more practical. The sheep owner is also responsible for reporting the progress of vegetation management.
Farmers show interest in solar grazing
Our Sustainability Manager, Cecilia Hertzberg, discussed the opportunities of solar grazing at the annual meeting of the Finnish Sheep Breeders Association (Suomen Lammasyhdistys). The topic sparked significant enthusiasm among farmers, highlighting the potential benefits and interest in integrating sustainable practices with renewable energy production.
“As in many other sectors, production costs in sheep farming have risen, while subsidies have been reduced. This combination weakens the profitability of the operations. The industry is also affected by unfortunate predator damage”, Hertzberg says.
“By combining renewable energy production and grazing, we can create a multi-beneficial model that supports both biodiversity and sustainable agriculture. Integrating solar energy production with grazing is not only an environmentally friendly solution but also an excellent opportunity for the entire industry and farmers to benefit from economically and ecologically sustainable cooperation”, she continues.
