Discover how solar grazing with sheep supports renewable energy, improves soil health, and benefits farmers, as practiced by the American Grassfed Association producers.
Solar grazing is an innovative practice gaining momentum across the United States, where sheep graze beneath and around solar panels on solar farms. This dual-use approach not only supports clean energy production but also enhances soil health, pasture quality, and animal welfare.
The American Grassfed Association recognizes the synergy between regenerative livestock grazing and sustainable energy. Sheep grazing on solar farms helps control weeds and vegetation that could otherwise shade panels or obstruct maintenance, reducing the need for mowing or herbicides. This natural vegetation management is less labor-intensive and more environmentally friendly than traditional use of gas or diesel mowing and herbicides.
A two-year research study by the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) on Northeastern solar sites found that solar grazing:
- Improves soil health: Grazing sheep trample manure, urine, seeds, and plant matter into the soil, decomposing and fertilizing the land. Solar-grazed sites showed higher soil organic matter and a more favorable soil pH than non-grazed sites.
- Produces healthier forage: Vegetation under solar panels, based on the studies cited, had higher crude protein and better digestibility, providing nutritious food for the sheep throughout the grazing seasons.
- Enhances pasture quality over time: Pasture condition scores increased during the study, suggesting long-term benefits from solar grazing.
Additionally, solar panels provide sheep with shelter from wind, rain, and intense sun, improving animal comfort and welfare. This practice keeps farmland productive within rural communities, offering struggling farmers a sustainable income source while supporting renewable energy infrastructure.
The American Grassfed Association sees solar grazing as a model of regenerative agriculture that aligns with its mission to promote animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and sustainable grassfed livestock production.
Resource Links
- American Lamb Board on solar grazing benefits: https://americanlamb.com/news/beneath-the-panels-how-sheep-are-supporting-solar-energy-by-improving-solar-farmland/
- American Solar Grazing Association: https://solargrazing.org
- ASGA solar grazing study summary: https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/05/02/solar-grazing-supports-healthier-soil-food-for-sheep-study-finds/
Suggested Source Images
- Sheep grazing under solar panels on a solar farm (from American Solar Grazing Association or American Lamb Board)
- Close-up of lush forage growing beneath solar panels
- Infographic showing benefits of solar grazing on soil health and pasture quality