Enel North America will deploy over 6,000 sheep at eight Texas solar farms in the US’s largest announced agrivoltaics agreement.
The Andover, Massachusetts-based renewable energy company, which is already the leading operator of utility-scale battery storage in Texas, is partnering with Texas Solar Sheep Co., a family business that provides vegetation management at large solar farms.
Texas Solar Sheep will deploy over 6,000 sheep to graze on more than 10,100 acres of Enel’s solar farm land – that’s nearly 12 times larger than Central Park in New York City.
This is one of the most significant single contracts for dual-use solar, according to the American Solar Grazing Association, which estimates that 100,000 acres of solar farms are being grazed in the US per a recent survey.
Solar grazing is at the forefront of a booming agrivoltaics industry, and we are seeing more and more leaders in the solar industry investing in long-lasting partnerships with farmers and creating new opportunities for American agriculture,” said Kevin Richardson, outreach director at the American Solar Grazing Association.
According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), preserving native habitats and grazing livestock at solar farms results in improved soil health, more efficient use of water, and reduced maintenance and operations costs.
Enel says its existing agrivoltaics program has demonstrated substantial advancements in soil health, with some sites experiencing over 200% improvement in organic matter. Sheep also promote pollinator-friendly habitats by allowing some native plants to mature and bloom, unlike mowing. Agrivoltaics also creates a new revenue stream for sheepherders.
Marcus Krembs, head of external relations and sustainability at Enel North America, said, “By prioritizing sheep grazing for land management, we demonstrate how solar and agriculture can coexist while ensuring optimal performance of our solar facilities.”
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