The solar industry is rapidly evolving to balance the interest of two of America’s strategic priorities - energy security and food security. Learn more about how agrivoltaics, and specifically sheep grazing, are changing how solar and agriculture are working together.
Thanks for joining us at the Logan County Fair!
We were in the merchant building every day, dawn to dusk during the fair and spent plenty of time checking out everyone’s 4-H projects! We’ve been a sponsor of the Logan County Fair since 2020 and were so glad to be a part of it again in 2024. We’re especially excited to have talked to producers about our grazing initiative at the Grange Solar Grazing Center!
Learn More About Solar Grazing
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Grazing Ready Solar Facilities
The use of grazing sheep has emerged across the United States as a cost-competitive alternative to solely mechanical and chemical control of vegetation under solar panels, as grazing sheep requires minimal changes to common ground-mount solar configurations. Animal grazing can be an attractive option for communities that host solar infrastructure because it supports continued agricultural land use, aligns with sustainability mandates, and—when managed with sound grazing practices—sheep can perform as well as mechanical mowing equipment in both cost and efficiency.
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The American Solar Grazing Association
ASGA members are facilitating research, providing essential education, and developing best practices that support shepherds and solar developers to effectively manage solar installations and create new agribusiness profits.
ASGA provides educational resources, training, and bes practices for producers and project owners - ensuring that the solar grazing industry can thrive!
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Research-Based Solutions
Many unversities, international non-profits, and researchers are focused on making agrivoltaics the norm in the solar industry. This is a tremendous opportunity for landowners, local governments, and producers to embrace clean energy without compromising local agriculture.
Sheep Grazing In Action
Ground mounted photovoltaics (PV) are expanding in size and number nationwide, and the most desirable sites for solar projects are often already in cropland. Taking crop land out of production, even when that land is producing industrial feedstocks instead of food, is legitimate concern. Solar grazing keeps farmland in farm production, balancing energy and food production. This dual-use practice is referred to as “agrivoltaics”.
Farm incomes are down, and solar grazing allows farmers to increase and diversify revenues without taking land out of food production. Solar grazing contributes dairy, meat, and wool to regional markets and reduces or eliminates the need for mowing at solar sites, reducing emissions and costs. With solar grazing, the vegetation at solar sites becomes a source of nutrition and a pasture for sheep. Compared to much of the US, Ohio can support a high density of sheep per acre - maximizing productivity!
Interested in learning more? A great way to learn more is to join a monthly American Solar Grazing Association monthly webinar (First Wednesdays at 6 PM EST). Sign up through their contact form and check out awesome past webinars too!
Interested in grazing? Learning More?
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