Combining solar panels with farming, agrivoltaics, is proving to be a win-win for farmers and the planet.
For years, solar farms have used sheep to control vegetation and provide an income from both solar harvesting and farming.
But what about cattle? How do you stop a 600+ kg curious animal from demolishing a solar panel? In the USA on Silicon Ranch, cattle get a tracking device.
When the herd gets close, the tracker tells the solar array to reorient horizontally, letting the animals roam underneath without damaging the equipment.
Expected Project Impacts: More land available to farmers and solar power plant operators; a decrease in solar project and energy costs; increase in water infiltration, biomass, biodiversity, vegetation resilience and carbon sequestration.
More info at: www.siliconranch.com/cattletracker/
