Sheep on solar farms may produce better quality wool, study suggests

Sheep that graze in the shade of solar panels may produce better quality wool than those on traditional livestock farms, an Australian study has found.

At Lightsource bp’s solar farm in the state of New South Wales, EMM Consulting and Elders Rural Services have been studying how the co-location of merino sheep and solar energy generation influences wool yields and quality.

The organisations looked at two groups of sheep – one that grazed in a regular paddock and the other amongst the solar panels, which provide plenty of shade.

“The findings suggest that the co-location of solar farming with sheep grazing is not negatively impacting wool production, even in the case of pre-existing high-quality standards,” Lightsource bp said in a statement. “Some parameters even indicate an improvement in wool quality, although conclusive benefits require further long-term measurement.”

Brendan Clarke, Lightsource bp’s interim head of environmental planning for Australia and New Zealand, said: “Finding ways for agriculture and clean energy to work together is crucial for a more sustainable future. The promising results from this study indicate that we are on the right path, and working closely with farmers to grow our knowledge in this area is paramount.”

Emilien Simonot, regional head of agrivoltaics at the company, said the results “are very encouraging” and show how solar installations can complement agricultural practices.

The study results are summarised in the table below:

While the research is ongoing, Lightsource bp says this is “another indication that solar farms can offer a conducive environment for sheep farming” while offering farmers new revenue streams.

Agrivoltaics, in general, have graduated from small-scale pilot projects to mega installations involving an increasingly wide array of crops and livestock.