Mon Jan 20 05:12:01 UTC 2025: ## Texas Solar Farms Find Unexpected Allies: 3,000 Sheep
**Austin, TX – January 20, 2025** – The booming solar energy industry in Texas is finding a surprising solution to land management: sheep. Large-scale solar farms, like SB Energy’s 900-megawatt project in Milam County, are employing thousands of sheep to maintain the land beneath their solar panels. This innovative approach, known as solar grazing, is part of a growing trend called agrivoltaics, combining agriculture and solar energy production.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, over 60 solar grazing projects are underway in the US, with 27 states participating. This method offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to gas-powered lawnmowers, which contradict the renewable energy goals of the solar farms. It also provides a much-needed boost to the struggling sheep and wool market in Texas, which saw a 4% drop in sheep inventory in 2024.
Entrepreneurs like JR Howard, owner of Texas Solar Sheep, have capitalized on this opportunity. His company now manages over 8,000 sheep across multiple solar farms, creating jobs and revitalizing the sheep farming industry. Other ranchers agree, stating that solar grazing offers a significant opportunity for the future of sheep farming in the US.
While the positive impacts on the sheep industry and environmental friendliness are evident, some uncertainties remain. Researchers are still investigating the long-term effects of solar grazing on soil health and overall land productivity. Nevertheless, the initial results suggest that solar grazing may offer a mutually beneficial solution for both renewable energy and agriculture. The practice has also been met with positive feedback from rural communities, easing concerns about the visual impact of large solar farms.
First Piper 