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A large sheep farming company in Germany is looking for PV asset owners to let their animals graze sustainably on the sites of solar projects, an initiative that could lead to a win-win situation. Readers of PV magazine in Germany are very active, either commenting on articles or asking questions of the editorial team. Of course, we love that attitude, but we dont always have the capacity to adequately satisfy all requests. We recently received a very unusual request from Johann Nesgen, owner of a sheep farming company in the German Brandenburg region. “We are a large sheep farming company with more than 6,000 animals and we are continually looking for pasture for them. Is there any way through your magazine to offer photovoltaic plant operators a sustainable and complete method of grazing their areas with sheep? ” This idea is not new, of course. However, we are not a marketplace , we are a trade publication. For this reason, we asked the company how it conceived this idea and what conditions it had to meet. The areas of solar power plants provide shade for animals, which is a great advantage in hot weather, Nesgen explained. The company has experience in this activity, since its animals have already grazed in the solar parks of the municipalities of Oranienburg and Kyritz. The advantage for the company is that the photovoltaic plants are already fenced, which represents significant cost savings. As for the conditions that must be met for the sheep to graze, Nesgen explained that they must be close to other pastures. Animal transportation is complex and expensive, but Nesgen does not completely exclude this option. It must be discussed on a case-by-case basis, she said. But this is only worth it if the areas of the fenced PV systems are large enough, he added. The company is looking for grassland, not vacant land. Technically, the bottom edge of the modules must be at least 70 centimeters from the ground, so that the animals can get underneath them, Nesgen specified. In addition, the cables must be securely fastened so that no loose rope or hose poses a danger to animals. |
