Shear innovation: B-a-a-a-ck to natural lawn maintenance

February 25, 2021

Our E.W. Brown power plant in Harrodsburg, KY is home to the state’s largest solar facility – 44,000 solar panels situated on 50 acres of land. One of the more challenging aspects of maintaining the solar field is controlling vegetation growth, which can interfere with the generation capabilities of the panels. To address the problem, last year we hired a cost-effective, environmentally friendly maintenance crew – sheep. We began with 25 sheep in the spring of 2020 and will continue to add more to the flock over time to help control the fast-growing grass. 

Currently the sheep are “mowing” 10 acres of the property, but it’s expected the flock will multiply threefold this year – enough to maintain all 50 acres. 

The sheep belong to nearby Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, which manages their overall care, shears them and sells the wool to a local vendor. The proceeds from the sales support Shaker Village’s mission to preserve its heritage of sustainable agricultural practices, sound ecological land management and environmental education.