Tennessee solar farm switches to grazing mode so cattle can safely roam beneath the panels

A Tennessee farm is testing an interesting idea: cattle grazing beneath solar panels.

If it works on a larger scale, the approach could help generate more low-cost electricity while keeping farmland productive and creating a new source of income for ranchers. 

The Associated Press reported that Silicon Ranch recently unveiled a 40-acre solar site in Christiana, outside Nashville, where cows and calves are grazing on lush pasture beneath rows of solar panels. 

This is a bigger step than it may sound. Sheep already graze at many solar farms — an effort known as agrivoltaics, which combines agriculture and solar energy generation. Meanwhile, cattle are much larger and typically can't fit under the panels or can pose a risk to the expensive equipment. 

To make room for the larger animals, the panels were slightly raised, and software was installed to enable workers to tilt the panels as needed. The cow herd at Silicon Ranch — currently 10 cows and their calves — moves through different portions of the farm every few days. 

Meanwhile, the solar project produces roughly 5 megawatts of power for Middle Tennessee Electric. Silicon Ranch leadership has said the next year will focus on proving that the model can work in the longer term. 

When successful, this type of effort can help address multiple growing pressures: pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, rising electricity demands, and the financial strain facing many farmers and ranchers. 

But in addition to offsetting the polluting energy sources typically used to generate power, strengthening local energy systems, and providing revenue to agricultural producers, there may be even more benefits. 

Rancher and scientist Anna Clare Monlezun, who has worked on the Silicon Ranch project, told the AP that the pasture under the array can stay wetter, better withstanding droughts. Cattle grazing in the shade of the panels may also be less likely to experience heat stress. 

As for the economic incentives, Ethan Winter of American Farmland Trust told the news outlet that solar can often bring in around $1,000 an acre — about 10 times what traditional agriculture has historically brought in. That extra income can help farming families pay down debts and keep land in production, strengthening local food systems in the process. 

Solar power can pay off at the household level, too. If you're interested in reaping the savings associated with solar panels, EnergySage can help you go solar with its free tools and save you up to $10,000 on installation costs by helping you identify competitive bids from local installers. 

If you're hesitant about the upfront costs, Palmetto's $0-down LightReach solar leasing program can lower your utility rate by up to 20%.

Kevin Richardson of the American Solar Grazing Association told the AP that sheep grazing at solar farms had already scaled to more than 130,000 acres as of 2024. The next challenge is to design more cattle-friendly sites and create economic incentives that make the model practical for ranchers. 

"There are more win-wins than trade-offs," Monlezun told the outlet. 

As Winter put it, "We need and want to grow America's energy capacity but not at the expense of our best farmland or at the expense of agricultural livelihoods."

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