OHIO -- "Ohio ranks fourth in the nation for anticipated renewable energy development in 2023. This year alone the state has approved over two dozen utility-scale solar farms, according to the Ohio Power Siting Board — the state agency tasked with approving these types of projects. As more projects go in, some solar companies and livestock farmers are looking to work together.

That’s because the solar companies that own those large scale solar farms need a plan to manage weeds and shrubs. Mowing equipment might be too big to fit between or under the solar panels. It also can be expensive, and mowers can release tons of carbon emissions.

But sheep fit just fine and they eat just about any type of grass. It’s called solar grazing and it’s a variation of agrivoltaics — the use of land for both food and solar energy production. It’s partly why farmers like Kirwan and Wilson see potential here."

-- Alejandro Figueroa, WYSO

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