JR Howard’s sheep graze around a solar array owned by Adapture Renewables near Gainesville, Texas, on Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Howard’s company, Texas Solar Sheep, specializes in ‘solar grazing,’ using pastures around solar arrays for sheep herding.
In Europe, where energy prices are higher and available land is scarce, solar companies are required to have on-site agriculture. “We can’t be doing things that are going to require water,” McCall said. “Water is this really holistic thing that is needed out in West Texas. We’re hearing that very loud and clear.”
“There were a lot of skeptics three years ago,” said Elora Arana, project development manager for Adapture. “Now every big solar outfit in Texas is examining it.”Howard, 44, said ranchers were his biggest doubters when he began pairing sheep and solar panels. As he reintroduced sheep to communities, curiosity grew.According to the American Solar Grazing Association, sheep now live alongside solar farms across the U.S. and graze at about 100 solar arrays in Texas.
The average farmer is also aging. As younger people turn away from the profession, the median age of a farmer in Texas is just under 60.“They’re paying more for energy,” Joiner said. “They’re paying more for seed. They’re paying more for labor, for equipment, for parts – even the interest rates that they’re paying on their operating loan.