Solar farm lets cattle roam under moving panels
Silicon Ranch has launched a utility-scale solar farm in Tennessee where cattle graze beneath moving solar panels, marking the first commercial deployment of its patented CattleTracker system. The Christiana Solar Ranch operates within Middle Tennessee Electric's service area, providing power to over 750,000 customers while integrating agriculture and energy production. This agrivoltaic approach aims to support local farming, improve soil health, and maintain economic viability without additional costs to ratepayers.
- ▪Silicon Ranch's CattleTracker system allows solar panels to shift into a 'grazing mode' to accommodate cattle movement safely.
- ▪The Christiana Solar Ranch is the first large-scale project to combine commercial solar power generation with full-scale beef cattle operations.
- ▪The project uses U.S.-made components, including solar panels from First Solar and steel tracker parts from Nextpower's Memphis factory.
- ▪Researchers from institutions like Colorado State University have been studying the site since 2023 to assess animal welfare and soil health impacts.
- ▪Silicon Ranch plans to expand its dual-use model to include both cattle and sheep grazing across its solar portfolio.
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