Solar Panels Kept Efficient by Sheep!

September 8th, 2009 by Jake Richardson

sheep

Carolina Solar Energy developed the newest solar energy park in North Carolina. The park is a small one, powering about 60 homes in Person County.

Sheep are being used to trim the weeds around the solar panels, so they are kept completely receptive to the sun. Sheep contribute less to global warming than do gas-powered lawn mowers. The practice of grass and weed management via sheep reportedly comes from Europe. (The United Nations in Geneva is also using sheep to keep its grounds well-manicured, and last year, the city of Turin, Italy brought in sheep to trim their parks, instead of using conventional lawnmowers.)

Sheep can reach tight places between solar panels not easily touched by landscaping equipment. Using the shaggy herds could also carry the benefit of creating wool, depending on the type of animal selected.

3,240 photovoltaic panels generate the electricity. Sixty homes is not a lot, but the park serves also as an educational experience for the public. “People are stopping by all the time. At first, people thought it was a vineyard because we were putting up a lot of poles, ” said the owner of Carolina Solar Energy, Richard Harkrader.

Another North Carolina company, SAS, is using sheep on its own solar electric farm.

Image Credit: Jmp Blog

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Tags: sheep

About the Author

Jake Richardson Hello, I have been writing online for some time, and enjoy the outdoors. If you like, you can follow me on Google Plus.

Bob_Wallace

How about using rabbits?

Then someone could open a ‘fresh, free-range rabbit’ stand next door.

Lapin a La Cocotte for dinner, yummmmmmmmmm….
Lauren@GreenGlobalTravel

How efficient! Thanks for sharing, I love hearing about new green ways to power/maintain communities.
http://www.ecospherical.wordpress.com Julia

Wow, using sheep to do the yard work is such a creative solution! I love it!
Ben

Awesome idea! These solar panels don’t even really have a land footprint because they are being used as graising land.

Love it
Ben

Awesome idea! These solar panels don’t even really have a land footprint because they are being used as graising land.

Love it
kan

@susan

Clearly you haven’t had good mutton then.

The best place I ate in China was a small Muslim restaurant with awesome spiced mutton and bread.
kan

@susan

Clearly you haven’t had good mutton then.

The best place I ate in China was a small Muslim restaurant with awesome spiced mutton and bread.
kan

@susan

Clearly you haven’t had good mutton then.

The best place I ate in China was a small Muslim restaurant with awesome spiced mutton and bread.
russ

Hi Jake,

Not, to knock the UN in Geneva but farmers have done this forever – that I am aware of sheep and geese are commonly used. Of course my information is from 50 years back.
russ

Hi Jake,

Not, to knock the UN in Geneva but farmers have done this forever – that I am aware of sheep and geese are commonly used. Of course my information is from 50 years back.
Susan Kraemer

Great idea. Just don’t eat the sheep. There’s nothing worse than mutton.
Susan Kraemer

Great idea. Just don’t eat the sheep. There’s nothing worse than mutton.
http://petrollawnmowerdeals.co.uk Steve

Sheep are great for cutting grass, but can the do the cool stripes??
http://petrollawnmowerdeals.co.uk Steve

Sheep are great for cutting grass, but can the do the cool stripes??
http://petrollawnmowerdeals.co.uk Steve

Sheep are great for cutting grass, but can the do the cool stripes??