Kosovo Solar Farm Uses Sheep and Goats to Graze Between Panels

A solar farm in eastern Kosovo has found an unexpected partner in clean energy: livestock. At the Rogane solar farm near Kamenica, more than 150 sheep and goats graze among 12,000 photovoltaic panels twice a week, from April to October, keeping the vegetation under control without a single gas-powered mower.

A Shepherd Meets a Solar Farm

The arrangement began in 2021 with an initial flock of around 90 animals. Today, 72-year-old shepherd Rexhep Rrudhani guides the animals through the site using traditional herding dogs, blending centuries-old pastoral knowledge with modern renewable energy infrastructure.

The solar panels are mounted higher than standard installations to allow the animals to move freely underneath. The elevated arrays also give the flock shelter from summer heat and cover from rain.

For the facility, the benefits are straightforward. Mechanical mowing is one of the largest operational costs for solar sites after land leasing. Replacing it with grazing cuts both costs and emissions tied to equipment use.

Benefits Flow in Both Directions

The shepherd gains access to additional grazing land and a reliable income, addressing financial pressures that have long threatened pastoral livelihoods. Research shows sheep farmers grazing on solar sites typically receive $300 to $500 per acre.

For the land itself, the impact goes further. The Rogane site was originally built on degraded ground. The animals have contributed to its recovery by providing natural fertilizer and carrying seeds and pollen in their wool, supporting slow but steady ecosystem restoration.

Studies have found that the global warming potential of combined solar and sheep grazing systems is 3.9% better than conventional solar and separate grazing managed independently, aligning with agro-ecological insights and existing knowledge gaps in solar grazing.

A Practice Spreading Globally

This approach, known as agrivoltaics or solar grazing, is expanding rapidly. Twenty U.S. states now use sheep grazing on solar sites. In 2025, global solar capacity additions in just the first six months reached 380 gigawatts, a 64% jump compared to the same period in 2024.

As that expansion continues, land use pressure grows. Utility-scale solar requires roughly five to seven acres per megawatt. Agrivoltaic systems address that tension directly by allowing energy production and agriculture to share the same ground, a win-win also highlighted in guidance on grazing sheep in solar farms.

Financial modeling supports the approach. Livestock-based agrivoltaic projects are projected to deliver internal rates of return between 7% and 12%, making the environmental benefits economically sound as well.

A Model for the Region

Kosovo is actively working to move away from coal dependency. Initiatives backed by Denmark and the European Union are pushing the country toward a cleaner energy future that is designed to benefit all parts of society, including rural communities like those that depend on shepherding.

The Rogane farm shows that this transition does not have to push aside existing agricultural traditions. Instead, it can be built around them.

The solution already exists. It is working.

References:

• Euronews: Clean energy and clean edges, the lawn-mowing sheep that work at a solar farm
• NC State University: Agrivoltaics, making marginal land more productive with solar panels and sheep
• AgriSolar Clearinghouse: Solar Grazing Best Management Practices