Agrivoltaics: Save solar plant land costs with sheep and agriculture

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/sheep-ag-and-sun-agrivoltaics-propel-significant-reductions-in-solar-main/581879/

by tomkat0789 • 6 years ago

53 16 6 years ago

utilitydive.com

beachy3• 6 years ago

typical per-acre range of $250-750 for sheep to graze at its sites

Where we live, the farmer pays the landowner to graze his cattle on their land.

So I'd be interested to know why it's the other way around to have sheep graze your solar farm.

Isn't the benefit of animals that they are self-managing, that they can identify the sections that need grazing the most, and that they can even self-replicate without human involvement?

Why not just put up some predator fences and then let them do their own thing?

aclatuts• 6 years ago

It costs money to transport the sheep, provide care, farmer pay, and housing for the sheep. The sheep don't stay on site continuously.

What I wonder is why don't they seed plants that don't grow high? Like clovers or something and use bee keeping as an additional source of income.

therealdrag0• 6 years ago

One of the links in the article talks bout the bee point: "Pollinator habitats: The bees' knees of rural solar development"

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pollinator-habitats-the-bee...

beachy3• 6 years ago

That's my point. Why not let the sheep live more or less wild on the site?

pjc502• 6 years ago

why don't they seed plants that don't grow high?

Other, higher-growing plants get seeded in very effectively. Small trees. Nettles. Brambles. Ferns. Even tall grasses.

brazzy• 6 years ago

What I wonder is why don't they seed plants that don't grow high?

Because within a few years, there will be plants that grow high anyway. In a few years more, they will dominate.

In climates that support trees and bushes, the only way to have grassland is regular grazing or mowing.

vvanders• 6 years ago

Have you kept sheep? They're not the most self sufficient creatures.

beachy3• 6 years ago

Actually my neighbour has a flock of 7 or so "Pitt Island" sheep. They literally do just run wild on his land. They get no attention at all as far as I know.

kickout• 6 years ago

Interesting premise. I agree that getting paid $300 for grazing sheep wont scale and is certainly not sustainable.

Agrivoltaics: Save solar plant land costs with sheep and agriculture

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