Hillview Farm in Ellington, Connecticut, has found a unique way to sustain its sheep farming operation. By partnering with solar developers, the farm has been able to graze its sheep on land hosting photovoltaic arrays, providing a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the farm and the solar developers.

How Solar Grazing Works

The concept of solar grazing is straightforward. Ground-mounted solar panels require vegetation management beneath and between them to maintain efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. Traditionally, developers hired mowing crews, which is both expensive and pollution-generating. However, sheep can solve many of these issues by keeping vegetation trimmed naturally, with minimal machinery, without pollution, and without the risk of damaged panels.

The partnership between Hillview Farm and solar developers has proven valuable not just for the farm, but for Connecticut agriculture as a whole. The farm has grown dramatically, from starting out with just shy of a dozen sheep to over 130 in the flock today, with plans to expand to over 300 head seasonally.

Benefits for the Sheep and the Environment

The shade provided by solar panels reduces heat stress on the flock during summer months, supporting better weight gain and animal welfare. Forage quality under the panels is often superior to open-field forage, with research showing significantly higher protein content in grass grown beneath arrays.

Additionally, the land comes back healthier after the solar project is completed. Research conducted at commercial solar sites across the Northeast found that grazed solar sites showed significantly higher soil organic matter, soil protein, and active carbon than non-grazed sites. This practice can help support row crops, hay production, or other agricultural uses, potentially in better condition than when the panels went in.

Original reporting: The Connecticut Mirror — read the source article.