Green Energy

2337 readers

432 users here now

Everything about energy production and storage.

Related communities:

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

poVoq

SteveKLord

Solar farms are booming in the US and putting thousands of hungry sheep to work (apnews.com)

submitted 1 day ago by SteveKLord to c/energy

9 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The booming solar industry has found an unlikely mascot in sheep as large-scale solar farms crop up across the U.S. and in the plain fields of Texas. In Milam County, outside Austin, SB Energy operates the fifth-largest solar project in the country, capable of generating 900 megawatts of power across 4,000 acres (1,618 hectares).

How do they manage all that grass? With the help of about 3,000 sheep, which are better suited than lawnmowers to fit between small crevices and chew away rain or shine.

The proliferation of sheep on solar farms is part of a broader trend — solar grazing — that has exploded alongside the solar industry.

top 9 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

With the help of about 3,000 sheep, which are better suited than lawnmowers to fit between small crevices and chew away rain or shine.

“The industry tends to rely on gas-powered mowers, which kind of contradicts the purpose of renewables,” SB Energy asset manager James Hawkins said.

I wonder how the carbon footprint of the sheep compare to that of the lawnmowers. My guess is that it would be smaller. The sheep are also powered by renewable (grass) energy, and are a source of milk, meat, and wool, which lawnmowers are not.

This is definitely one of the cutest stories I've seen in this community so far.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The methane they create is a greenhouse gas, but relatively short lived compared to the CO2 from lawnmowers

[–] mosiacmango@lemm.ee 4 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Electric mowers are good and common now. There are even solid robotic ones.

You could solve this with machines and just electricity, but sheep seem smarter.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 2 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

If those electric mowers refueled as they mowed then we’d really have something.

[–] mosiacmango@lemm.ee 1 points 15 hours ago

The electric robot ones basically do, in the sense that they go and charge when needed and then return to cutting the area until it's done.

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago (3 children)

Wouldn't it be cheaper to simply not plant any grass? Lay down a heavy layer of gravel and call it a day.

[–] YungOnions@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago

Cheaper, maybe, but gravel is a bit shit for biodiversity and flood mitigation.

[–] poVoq 10 points 18 hours ago

That only helps for a while and is quite expensive at utility scale installations. In addition, there are studies that vegetation helps keeping the underside of the solar panels cooler and thus increases the efficiency by a small percentage.

[–] banshee@lemmy.world 6 points 18 hours ago

I wouldn't think so. Rock is expensive and would only last so long. Grass helps sustain an ecosystem while preventing erosion.