Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant in Poland uses a photovoltaic (solar) farm to supply much of its electricity. Those solar panels sit on a large grassy field, and grassy fields require lawn maintenance. Rather than use electric lawn mowers and string trimmers, Volkswagen’s solar farm partner figured it could take things one step further. Now it uses sheep.
The company that built and manages VW’s 18.3 MW solar farm is Quanta Energy, so it’s the company that’s actually replacing mowers with a flock of 100 sheep. Not only does switching to sheep power reduce VW’s carbon footprint, it helps to promote biodiversity and gives researchers a chance to study how solar farms affect wildlife.
Today, the photovoltaic farm delivers much more than green electricity. It has also become a place where we support biodiversity, local agriculture and scientific research. The sheep grazing project demonstrates that modern industry can work in harmony with nature,” says Marzena Pillich-Grońska, Director of the Volkswagen Poznań plant.
Everyone wins
The sheep will be there until autumn, under the supervision of experienced breeders and shepherds, and they’ll mow the lawn for VW. So, the lawn maintenance crew gets another 100 helpers. The sheep will graze freely and munch the tall grass all around, and even underneath, the panels. They seem to be happy in their new environment.
“The animals have adapted very well to their new environment. We can clearly see that the flock feels safe: the sheep naturally split into smaller groups and graze calmly in different parts of the solar farm. This is the best evidence that they have adapted well to these conditions, because a flock that feels threatened always stays together,” said Justyna Nowak-Gajek, owner of the flock.
This is o so-called win-win-win situation. Everyone wins, here. VW lowers its carbon footprint, Quanta Energy gets to maintain the lawn with ‘self-supporting’ sheep instead of lawnmowers that need their own maintenance, and the sheep get plenty of food and, with growing importance these days, a shady place to hide for the burning sun when needed.
