In 2023, the Spanish company Iberdrola announced the installation of a flock of 300 sheep in its photovoltaic parks in Portugal. “It is beneficial for the solar park, as it ensures the ecological maintenance of the land and reduces the risk of fires,” says Iberdrola. . Solar shepherds, who manage sheep grazing under solar panels, are part of a growing movement that combines agriculture and renewable energy — and offers high incomes in the process. Atmos explained that the Grays' sheep graze on roughly 4,000 acres of land co-located with solar energy sites, and the family earns. . Western professor Joshua Pearce collaborated with professional shepherd Rafael Lara on a study that shows the profitability of “solar” sheep, raised specifically to trim grass and weeds under traditional solar panels or agrivoltaic arrays. Sheep graze among solar panels in Illinois.
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