CHRISTIANA, Tenn. (AP) — From a distance, the small solar farm in central Tennessee looks like others that now dot rural America, with row upon row of black panels absorbing the sun’s rays to generate electricity.
But beneath these panels is lush pasture instead of gravel, enjoyed by a small herd of cattle that spends its days munching grass and resting in the shade.
Silicon Ranch, which owns the 40-acre farm in Christiana, outside of Nashville, believes cattle-grazing is the next frontier in so-called agrivoltaics, which mostly has involved growing crops or grazing sheep beneath the panels.
The solar company debuted the project this week and will spend the next year working to demonstrate to farmers that much larger cattle also can thrive at solar sites. If successful, advocates say, that could jump-start new projects to meet the soaring electricity demand driven by rapidly expanding data centers — without contributing climate-warming carbon emissions — and help cattle producers hold onto their land and livelihoods.
“Solar is one of the most powerful tools we have for cutting emissions and … is cost-competitive with fossil fuels,” said Taylor Bacon, a doctoral student at Colorado State University who has studied ecological outcomes at solar grazing sites. “I think we’re starting to see enough research that, when you do it well, the land use can be more of an opportunity than a downside.”
Very smart move. You’ve doubled the profit you’re making on your land. You’ve probably just prevented your farm from going under during a drought or blight. I wish more farmers and ranchers would wake up to what a good idea this is.
The sometimes shade on the ground also helps the ground keep moisture better too
Also helps keep temps down. Basically creates a microclimate.
Cattle can also have a hard time cooling off when the weather gets too hot. Good shady space like this will be popular with them during the hottest parts of the summer.
Plenty of people do this with sheep or goats. Cows seem less well suited. They are taller, so your panels need to be higher, and therefore stronger. Cows also tend to rub on things, which could break them.
I hope these folks aren’t leaving any wires within reach of the cattle. They also tend to chew on things. They see some wires and they will grab them to see if they are food, particularly calves. Even if they don’t bite through the wires, they will damage insulation and they also like to tug on the wires hard enough to disconnect them.
I have cameras and an electric gate opener that have both been chomped when any wires were left accessible to the cattle.
My thought with grazing animals is to do vertical ones with an eletric fence. Fencing is expensive so why not make money with it.
