World Environment Day: Solar panels are affected by vegetation and weeds growing underneath, affecting efficiency when covered by them. A unique solution is offered in the form of sheep. The animals can keep the grass short, and in turn, the shepherds make money by offering their livestock.
Clean energy is being touted as the next best thing to reverse climate change. Solar power is one of the main sources of energy production today, and governments worldwide are working to expand it. However, even this source comes at an environmental cost. Solar panels require large plots of land, almost what agricultural land would also need – which is flat, gets enough sunlight and is close to infrastructure. This has created a tussle between the two, creating a paradox of sorts where one is being sacrificed for the other. If solar panels are given preference, we risk giving up food security and hitting rural economies. If the right land is not given to solar energy, then a major source of renewable energy fails to work.
A solution to this problem has now emerged in the form of agrivoltaics – dual-use solar or agrisolar. In this system, solar panels and agriculture form a symbiotic relationship that is beneficial for both of them. The highlights are the four-legged creatures that graze underneath the elevated solar panels. The humble sheep is the star of the show that makes agrivoltaics work as they nibble on the grass below.
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Solar farms suffer from a major logistical headache – weeds. If they grow too high, they cast shadows on the panels, which can drastically reduce electrical output. Removing extra grass and vegetation from the ground below is crucial to ensuring that the solar panels work to their full potential. Companies have the option to use traditional lawnmowers and heavy machinery to remove the weeds. However, that will kick up rocks, which can damage the multi-million-dollar glass arrays. Using chemical weedkillers creates another problem, as they can contaminate the local water table.
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So solar power companies are partnering with shepherds. Yes, their sheep are the solution to their problem. They can be small, which means they can easily walk through the vegetation and standard racking systems. They are not afraid of the high-voltage infrastructure above them. The sheep eat the grass and weeds and keep them at the optimal length, avoiding adverse effects on the panels. It is a win-win situation for the shepherds who can have their sheep fill their tummies while earning passive income.
The dual-use solar also has a third beneficiary – crop cultivation. Global heatwaves can become a bane for agriculture. Agricultural scientists say that crops need sunlight, but too much of it can harm them. Partial shade is actually the need of the hour, which these solar panels provide. They cut off excess heat and help plants survive in the age of global warming. Regional trials have shown that plants like tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, and berries don’t just survive under solar arrays, but actually produce higheryields than those grown in direct sunlight.
Water conservation
The solar panels offer physical shade to the ground below, reducing soil water evaporation by up to 30-40 per cent. This can drastically cut down irrigation needs in drought-prone regions.
Increased Solar Efficiency
Solar panels need sunlight to work, but they can get damaged if they get too hot. Plans have moisture naturally, which can cool down the panels, boosting electricity generation.
Crop protection
Vegetation is also at risk of damage from extreme rain, frost, hail, and other weather events. With solar panels above them offering protection, this threat is drastically reduced.
Anamica Singh is a Senior News Editor at WION, bringing over 17 years of deep media and journalism experience to the platform. Specialising in high-impact global journalism, she le…Read More
