ASGA Call 92: Solar Grazing Improves Soil Health, Pasture Quality, and Site Sustainability (NYSERDA – ASGA Study)

December 3 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm EST

This month’s webinar explores new research from ASGA on the benefits of integrating sheep on solar sites. The research study shows how solar grazing provides an enhanced, ecologically sustainable from of vegetation management by promoting biodiversity, soil health, forage quality, and local production.

The ASGA research team will discuss their recently published study, “Sheep grazing as sustainable vegetation management for solar energy production in the northeastern USA.” The study, conducted with funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), demonstrates how solar grazing provides additional environmental and economic benefits when compared to other vegetation management methods. We’ll dive deep into the study’s findings, which show how solar grazing can improve soil health and pasture conditions, enhance forage quality, and provide a cost-effective alternative to mechanical mowing.

The study is based on data collected from 28 grazed and 3 non-grazed commercial solar sites in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts from 2022 to 2024.

We’ll also discuss the practical realities of integrating grazing into solar operations, from fencing and water access to contract structures and long-term site management.