Dominion Energy is embracing a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to maintaining its solar farms by incorporating sheep grazing into its landscaping strategy. After a successful pilot program launched in Northern Virginia and coastal areas in 2022, the company has expanded the initiative to its Climax solar farm in Southside Virginia. Inspired by similar successes, such as the photovoltaic system Neubrandenburg, this marks the first partnership of its kind in the region, working with Gray’s Lambscaping to integrate sheep grazing as a natural method of vegetation control.

A Win-Win for Clean Energy and Agriculture

By utilizing sheep to manage grass and weeds around solar panels, Dominion Energy is reinforcing its commitment to both clean energy and sustainable land use. “This is a really exciting program for us because we get to work with the farming community and sheep farmers, and try to keep this piece of land in the farming community to a certain extent,” said Tim Eberly, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy. “It just allows us to get another use out of the land.”

Gray’s Lambscaping, a local farm specializing in managed sheep grazing, has placed 165 sheep on the Climax property. These animals play a crucial role in keeping the grass at an optimal height, ensuring that it does not obstruct the sunlight from reaching the solar panels.

The Environmental Benefits of Sheep Grazing

Traditional maintenance methods, such as gas-powered lawnmowers and herbicides, can have environmental drawbacks, including carbon emissions and soil degradation. By contrast, sheep offer a natural and sustainable solution. As they graze, they not only keep vegetation in check but also enrich the soil through natural fertilization.

“One of the key things is maintaining the vegetation and not allowing it to grow and obstruct the solar panels from the sun. It’s fantastic because the sheep also deposit organic matter in the soil and keep it healthy,” added Eberly.

Efficient Land Management with Rotational Grazing

To ensure efficient land use, Gray implements a rotational grazing strategy, where the sheep move to different sections of the solar farm each week. Covering approximately 80 acres in seven days, the flock is carefully guided by trained herding dogs, preventing overgrazing and allowing the land to regenerate naturally.

This approach not only benefits Dominion Energy but also provides sheep farmers with additional grazing opportunities, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship between renewable energy and agriculture.

A Model for the Future

Dominion Energy’s successful expansion of the sheep-grazing program signals a promising shift toward more sustainable land management practices within the solar industry. By prioritizing environmental stewardship and local partnerships, the company is setting an example for how renewable energy projects, like the photovoltaic system in Neubrandenburg, can coexist with traditional farming.

As the demand for clean energy grows, Dominion Energy’s initiative showcases how innovative, nature-based solutions can contribute to both energy efficiency and agricultural sustainability. With the success of this program, similar collaborations could soon become a standard practice across more solar farms nationwide.