Solar Farms as Havens for Wildlife and Green Energy
When you think of solar farms, you likely picture rows of advanced solar panels, silently absorbing sunlight. But what if these solar farms could also serve as thriving habitats for wildlife?
Welcome to the world of agrivoltaics—a blend of agriculture and green energy where it doesn’t just fuel our homes, but it revitalizes ecosystems.
Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is leading this innovative approach through its subsidiaries, Spark Renewables Pty Ltd (Spark Renewables) in Australia and Vantage RE Ltd (Vantage RE) in the UK. These initiatives seamlessly merge solar power with agriculture, transforming solar farms into vibrant ecosystems and advancing global sustainability.
Sustainable Solar Farming with the Help of Grazing Sheep
You might wonder how sheep and solar panels could coexist, but it turns out they’re an ideal combination. Solar farms provide excellent grazing grounds, and by naturally maintaining vegetation around the panels, sheep help the system operate more efficiently. This approach reduces the need for mowers and sprayers, further lowering the carbon footprint of these farms. In addition, the sheep improve soil health by trampling waste, promoting nutrient-rich land over time.
For our solar farms in Australia and Ireland, sustainability goes beyond generating green energy. For instance, 850 Merino sheep in our Australian solar farm roam and graze beneath the solar panels, playing a crucial role in land management.
Solar Farms that Give Back to People and Nature
TNB continues to support the local communities via its international platforms, where Spark Renewables set up the Bomen Solar Farm Community Fund (established under an agreement with Bomen Solar Farm and Westpac). Notably, the $1 million fund was the largest community fund of any solar farm developments in Australia, which supports local education and environmental efforts.
Additionally, Spark Renewables collaborates with Macquarie University through a three-year Australian Research Council Fellowship. This partnership seeks to develop regulations that promote agrivoltaics while ensuring energy justice. On top of that, a partnership with Charles Sturt University is researching “agrivoltaics” approach, trialing which pasture mixes grow best beneath solar panels and have higher resistance to bushfire risks.
For Vantage RE, its first solar greenfield developments include comprehensive biodiversity management plans. For instance, five acres of wildflower meadows, along with native-species hedgerows are being planted. These efforts ensure active habitat protection even after the farms become operational.
Vantage RE also supports the community though its solar farm in Ireland, providing a family that has farmed the land for three generations, a diversified income stream, which helps sustain their legacy.
The concept is simple but impactful—green energy projects that support both the people and nature.
The Bigger Picture
As the world faces the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, these projects offer a promising way forward. These projects fulfill our energy needs while illustrating that green energy and nature can coexist harmoniously.
So the next time you pass a solar farm, think beyond the green energy it generates, and imagine a world where innovation and biodiversity thrive side by side.
