In an era of climate challenges and volatile economies, a surprising fusion of tradition and technology is turning heads: solar shepherding. This innovative approach, which merges sheep grazing with solar energy production, isn’t just boosting sustainability—it’s proving highly lucrative, with some solar shepherds earning incomes comparable to doctors or senior engineers.
Welcome to the world of agrivoltaics, where agriculture meets renewable energy, creating a win-win for farmers, communities, and the planet.
What Is Agrivoltaics?
Agrivoltaics, a blend of agriculture and photovoltaics, is an innovative farming method where agricultural activities, like grazing or crop cultivation, coexist with solar panel installations. It optimises land use, producing food and clean energy simultaneously.
In Canada, the potential is staggering: converting just 1% of agricultural land to agrivoltaics could meet 25-33% of the nation’s electricity needs. Expanding slightly beyond that could potentially eliminate the country’s dependence on fossil fuels entirely.
The Rise of Solar Shepherds
Solar shepherding is at the forefront of this movement. These farmers manage flocks of sheep grazing under solar panels, keeping vegetation in check while benefiting from increased agricultural outputs. Research shows solar shepherds in Ontario can earn two to three times more than traditional shepherds, with annual salaries often exceeding $150,000.
This is made possible by a combination of factors:
- Grazing Contracts: Solar farm owners pay shepherds to manage vegetation, replacing costly mowing and herbicides.
- Enhanced Resources: Solar farms provide shaded grass that grows faster and more abundantly than open pastures, boosting sheep productivity.
- Efficient Land Use: Solar panels double as protection for sheep from predators and harsh weather, reducing losses and increasing profits.
How Solar Shepherding Works
A recent study explored two models of solar shepherding businesses:
- Breeding Ewes: Farmers breed sheep and raise lambs directly on the solar farm.
- Auction-Based: Shepherds purchase lambs annually from auctions and focus on grazing and lamb husbandry.
Both models yielded impressive profits. Return on investment (ROI) for breeding ranged from 16% to 31%, while auction-based operations reached even higher ROIs of 22% to 43%. Compared to traditional agriculture, the financial benefits are striking.
Why Everyone Wins
The appeal of solar shepherding goes beyond profits. This system offers wide-reaching benefits:
- For Farmers: Higher earnings, reliable grazing contracts, and reduced land costs.
- For Solar Farm Owners: Lower maintenance costs and weed-free panels, improving solar efficiency.
- For Communities: Local employment opportunities, tax revenue to fund schools, and fresh lamb meat production.
- For the Environment: Agrivoltaic pastures are 280-894% more efficient in land use than separate farming and solar systems.
Additionally, sheep benefit from shaded, predator-protected environments, while communities enjoy reduced energy costs from cleaner power generation.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite its promise, solar shepherding isn’t without obstacles:
- Predators and Parasites: Wolves, coyotes, and even diseases can threaten sheep, requiring strong fencing and proactive health management.
- Water Access: Many solar farms lack on-site water supplies, complicating operations and increasing costs.
- Logistical Complexity: Moving sheep across large solar farms is labour-intensive compared to traditional mowing.
- Market Barriers: Some regions lack the scale or infrastructure to profit from by-products like wool.
Moreover, while mutton has a smaller carbon footprint than beef, plant-based agrivoltaics (e.g., growing crops like lettuce or tomatoes under solar panels) is still the most efficient use of land.
A Future Beyond Sheep
Sheep are just the beginning. Agrivoltaics is proving adaptable for other livestock and crops. In Alberta, farmers are trialling pigs and cows on solar pastures, while researchers in Texas have successfully integrated rabbits into solar systems.
Agrivoltaic farming also extends to crops such as wheat, spinach, corn, and potatoes, showcasing its versatility. These systems not only optimise land use but also enhance agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.
Australia’s Potential with Agrivoltaics
While this story highlights Canadian innovations, Australia—with its vast farmland and abundant sunlight—could be a global leader in agrivoltaics. Combining solar energy production with traditional farming methods offers a pathway to energy independence, reduced emissions, and a more sustainable agricultural industry.
By adopting solar shepherding and exploring other agrivoltaic possibilities, Australia could secure cleaner energy, healthier ecosystems, and stronger rural economies.
Solar shepherding exemplifies how tradition and technology can work hand in hand. It’s not just a sustainable solution for the planet—it’s a profitable and practical approach that benefits everyone involved. Whether through sheep, crops, or other innovations, agrivoltaics is lighting the way to a brighter, greener future.
This article draws on "Solar shepherds’ earn big by grazing sheep on solar farms — and they benefit everyone involved" , which is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
