At Nexamp, sustainability is at the core of everything we do. That's why we’re always looking for new and innovative ways to promote clean energy and reduce environmental impact. Oneway is by enlisting the help of some very special employees: sheep! These woolly grazers help maintain the solar farms by keeping the grass and vegetation trimmed, preventing the growth of weeds and brush that could interfere with the panels' ability to capture sunlight. But the benefits don't end there. In this Q&A style interview, we'll hear fromGraizy, one of the sheep who works on a Nexamp solar farm, about what it's like to be a solar sheep and the benefits they bring to the site, including improved soil fertility.
Q: Hello there, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what it's like grazing on a solar farm?
A: Baa there! My name is Graizy, and I'm one of the sheep who graze on a solar farm. It's pretty nice here. The grass is always green and plentiful, and there's plenty of space for us to roam around. Plus, the sun feels nice on our woolly coats. And the shade from the solar panels helps keep us cool on those sultry days.
Q: We've heard that your job is to help maintain the solar farm. Can you tell us more about that?
A: That's right. We're here to help keep the grass and vegetation trimmed so that it doesn't grow too tall and block the sunlight from the solar panels. We also help prevent the growth of weeds and brush that could interfere with the panels' ability to capture sunlight. It's important work, and we're happy to help out.
Q: How did you come to be involved in this work?
A: We were chosen for this job because we're natural grazers. We love eating grass and other vegetation, and we're pretty good at keeping it trimmed. Plus, we don't produce emissions like lawnmowers and weedwhackers do, so I guess you could say we're an eco-friendly way of maintaining the site.
Q: What do you like most about grazing on the solar farm?
A: There are a lot of things we like about it. The grass is always fresh and tasty, and we have plenty of room to run and play...I mean work. And the office views aren’t baahd!
Q: Can you tell us about the benefits of having sheep graze on the solar farm?
A: Yes, there are a lot of benefits. One of the biggest is that we help keep the site looking tidy and well-maintained. By keeping the grass and vegetation trimmed, we prevent the growth of tall weeds and brush that could interfere with the solar panel's ability to generate clean energy. Additionally, our manure provides natural fertilizer for the soil, which can help improve soil fertility and health.
Q: How does the presence of sheep affect the soil fertility of the solar farm?
A: Our manure provides valuable nutrients to the soil, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These nutrients are essential for plant growth and can help improve soil fertility over time. Additionally, our grazing can help aerate the soil and break up compacted areas, which can improve soil structure and water infiltration.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to share about your role in maintaining the solar farm?
A: Baa! We're really proud to be part of the team that helps maintain the solar farm. We know that renewable energy is important for the environment, and we're glad to be able to contribute in our own small way. Plus, we get to eat a lot of tasty grass, so it's a win-win for us!
Community solar with Nexamp is helping residents across the nation save money on their monthly electric bills while adding more renewable energy to the state’s power grid. And with the solar grazing program, we are helping local farmers tap into new revenue sources while maintaining our farms in a more sustainable manner. Solar grazing allows farmers to increase and diversify revenues in order to support food and other farm production. Interested in seeing what our 4-legged maintenance team is up to? Follow us on Instagram for some #solarsheep updates!