In recent years, more research has been done to examine the advantages of sun grazing. The American Solar Grazing Association, a group that advocates sheep grazing for solar farms, claims that cutting expenses and emissions from landscaping are two of the main advantages.
The necessity for landscaping has not yet been entirely replaced by the usage of sheep. The goal is to increase the work mix between sheep and landscaping from 50/50 to 75:25, according to Eberly. The sheep's first growth season was this summer, and Dominion is still determining whether having the sheep is financially advantageous for the business, according to Eberly. "This is a solar farm, and that's obviously a really valuable thing for us and for the community, residents of Virginia," Eberly said. However, it is really good to be able to use the land for agriculture as well, as we are making the most of the available resources.
According to Eberly, the size of the solar installation determines how many sheep are kept on each farm. At the Sussex solar farm, about 100 sheep can keep the grass in good condition. On 216 acres, the facility has over 80,000 solar panels that can produce up to 20 megawatts a day, which is enough electricity to power 5,000 houses.