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Ground-mounted solar sites, like our Member-Owned Community Solar sites, require ongoing vegetation management to keep grass and plants from shading panels or interfering with equipment. Traditionally, that often means frequent mowing throughout the growing season.
But when sheep are the mowers, it’s a win-win – or more accurately “dual management,” where the solar arrays stay clear and productive and local farmers gain reliable grazing land.
In 2024 we began partnering with Black Earth Forest Farm, a small, family-run farm in Washington, Maine, on a dual-management solar-grazing program. Shannon and Matt, the farmers, get to graze their sheep on our solar sites, and the sheep keep the vegetation from interfering with the solar array’s production of clean energy. It’s been so successful, Shannon and Matt are actually in the process of changing the name of their farm to Black Earth Grazing.
Shannon and Matt manage a flock of several hundred sheep, and the sheep have different needs throughout the year. Because they are responsible for 11 of ReVision’s solar sites, they can stock the individual sites depending on the needs of the sheep. Sometimes that means 200 sheep on a site, and sometimes that means 20.
Solar Grazing Means Sustainable Farming
Before partnering on the solar grazing projects, Matt admits their farming was “pieced together.” They have a limited amount of space to graze the animals at their home farm, so they’d had to rent out various pastures during the summer, and rent barn space for the winter. Now that they rotate their sheep through the various solar sites, they’ve been able to expand their flock, and build winter space at their farm. They started with around 40 ewes, and this winter they’ll have over 200, plus all of the lambs.
“Having the solar has definitely opened up a lot of doors for us,” says Matt. “As we’ve gotten access to more solar sites, we have grown our flock and sheep business to help match that. And there’s still room for growth!”
The sheep begin grazing the solar projects each May, and are brought home before Thanksgiving, giving them roughly seven months of grazing each year.
“And by not having the sheep at home, we’re able to save a little bit of grass, so once we do pull them off the sites we have something for them to eat at home.”
The Unexpected Third Win
The most surprising benefit for the sheep? The shade!
“We didn’t fully realize this was going to happen,” says Matt, “but the shade has been incredible. If we’re grazing sheep in an open field in the middle of summer, it’s kind of miserable – for us and the sheep. But on the solar sites, even on those crazy heat wave days our sheep were never uncomfortable. It’s pretty much the best possible scenario for them.
While there are varying opinions about farming on solar, our experiences have only been positive. Being around the solar reduces their stress in general – both the shade, and in the rain they can just hide under the panels. They have the best life imaginable.”
As ReVision expands our Member-Owned Community Solar sites, partnerships like this demonstrate how renewable energy projects can serve multiple purposes at once. By combining renewable energy production with sustainable agriculture, solar grazing creates lasting benefits for farmers, animals, and solar share-owners alike.
“Matt and Shannon are exactly the kind of partners we love working with, said Kelly Marett, Commercial O&M Manager at ReVision Energy, “Solar grazing is a win for farmers, a win for the environment, and a smart way to keep solar sites safe, accessible, and operating at their best throughout the growing season. We’d love to bring this approach to even more solar fields in the future.”
Interested in a share of a Member-Owned Community Solar project? We currently have limited spots available for Central Maine Power customers. Contact us today to get a free quote.
