Sheep and Solar: Farmers and energy company graze and gather sunlight together
Pivot Energy says they’re committed to keeping agriculture near their energy farms
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - While the sheep aren’t his pets, -- a farmer near Salem, IL -- loves them. That’s part of why he decided to take advantage of a unique opportunity -- graze his flock on another person’s land. And that land hosts a solar energy field.
-- didn’t ever think he would be part of the solar energy industry, but he’s fully invested now. He says the ability to graze the sheep on multiple solar fields helps the sheep eat better, control the grazing and grow the herd without buying more land.
He’s working with Pivot Energy, a solar company that operates in Missouri, Illinois and across the nation. They’ve got dozens of grazer projects like this, brining livestock onto solar plots to control weeds and get more out of the land.
They’re operating in East St. Louis, and could place grazing animals on solar sites in the Metro East.
-- told First Alert 4 his sheep ranching operation is completely hemmed in by agricultural crop operations, which makes it hard to get the sheep the acreage they need to get enough food from grazing.
-- feels the project with solar is a great option, and he’s actually partnering with other sheep farmers in Southern Illinois to bring the sheep to the sites.
It’s just one of a number of projects in the area of Agrivoltaics. Which the Department of Energy calls projects that are dual-purpose for energy collection and for livestock grazing. It can also mean placing pollinator projects, such as a beehive, under a solar field -- which provides shelter to the animals while also collecting energy.
Pivot spokespeople said the company is very interested in these kinds of projects, and hope one day to have dual-use on all their solar fields.
There are more than 55 active grazing/solar gathering projects underway nationally by Pivot -- including projects here in Missouri and Illinois.
Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America Corps member, as well as a member of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage ranges from EPA s to corn farms and hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.
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