In 2024, over 113,000 sheep grazed through fields of solar panels on 129,000 acres of land.
PV Magazine USA reported on the findings of the United States Solar Grazing 2024 Census, conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the American Solar Grazing Association.
"The scale of solar grazing in the U.S. is much larger than previously understood and undergoing rapid growth," the NREL and ASGA stated.
Solar grazing is a practice where farmers use the land beneath solar panels for grazing animals, like sheep.
It is part of an environmental concept called "agrivoltaics," which brings together solar energy production and agriculture.
When farmers allow animals to graze under solar panels, the land is maintained and the animals get shade, shelter, and nourishment, so the practice is mutually beneficial.
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When farmers lease their land to solar companies, it provides them with a steady income in addition to farming.
It also helps the environment by supporting biodiversity and a balanced ecosystem. Native plants and flowers can be grown under the panels, helping to support local pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Bringing agriculture and renewable energy together has benefits for the environment, the animals, the farmer, and the local community.
The recent growth of solar grazing found in the census was attributed to a rise in installed solar capacity in the U.S., a great step toward widespread adoption of solar energy.
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The cost 🫰 Solar grazing is the most common form of agrivoltaics. According to another article from PV Magazine USA, it benefits agricultural production and creates healthier soil and food for grazing animals, as well as healthier crops. Beekeeping is another practice that can benefit from solar panels.
PV Magazine USA noted that the primary motivating factor for farmers implementing solar grazing was financial, and the second factor was environmental protection. The projects involve utility-scale solar sites as well as community solar sites.
The 2024 survey was the first of its kind. The results bring hope that progress is being made in agrivoltaics that will continue to expand and bring more benefits to more communities.
The NREL and ASGA plan to keep "tracking the evolution of U.S. solar grazing in the coming years."
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