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“They’ve been good partners in our community.”
Photo Credit: iStock
About 600 sheep will soon take over landscaping duties at Louisiana’s newest solar energy facility, reported nola.com.
RWE Clean Energy just wrapped up construction on Lafitte Solar, a 550-acre installation in the Ouachita Parish area, approximately 4 miles south of Monroe. The 100-megawatt project will deliver electricity to around 17,000 households once it starts feeding into the area’s power lines this year.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to purchase clean energy as part of its company-wide sustainability efforts.
The sheep are an eco-friendly alternative to gas-powered mowing equipment for keeping grass trimmed. Some people living nearby initially raised concerns about the project, but developers worked with the community to block views of the panels from nearby homes.
The project created around 150 jobs during the building phase and should bring in $32 million in local tax dollars during its operational years. For the environment, the facility will provide clean electricity without the pollution that comes from burning fossil fuels.
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“Sheep are the best animal that can do grazing among these solar panels,” said Cody Hoffman, project lead for RWE, per nola.com. “Cows can damage the panels, goats will climb on everything and chew on everything. Sheep are docile and calm, and they just like to eat grass.”
“They’ve been good partners in our community,” said Joe Holyfield, chairman of the Ouachita Parish Industrial Development Board.
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