When sheep can help solar energy

Since 2016, we have been using sheep to ensure that grass and other plants at our photovoltaic arrays in Greece don’t interfere with the functioning of the solar panels. This best practice also means less damage to the solar panels and lower operating costs. Our “Vegetation Management” project aims to prevent the weeds growing from reaching a height that would reduce production of solar energy. In Greece, our solar plants tend to be located in areas where vegetation growth is continuous and has to be managed by the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) teams. The height of the plants varies season by season and year by year, and is totally dependent on environmental conditions. This means that requirements for vegetation management change and, as a result, operating costs vary as well. “PV technology is a modern initiative that promises to maximize renewables penetration in power generation and optimize the use of land at the same time. The big advantage of PV technology is that the land that is needed can be shared with other activities like the grazing of livestock.” George Koutroumpezis, Solar Technology Supervisor, O&M Greece, Enel Green Power Solving two problems at once The use of sheep has been adopted at installations all over the country. They include five at Xanthi in Thrace in the north-east: Polysitos I and Polysitos ΙΙ, Pezouliotika, Herodasos and Sounio, and another in Thrace, Ιasmos (Rodopi). Also in the northeast, we have Helios (in Pieria in Macedonia), while in the more central region of Thessaly, the relevant plants include Μarko and Μyrini (in Karditsa) and Larissa (is the region’s capital). Another central Greek region, Sterea Ellada (literally, Central Greece) is where you will find the Εkta plant (at Fthiotida). Further south, the Peloponnese peninsula is home to Chamolio, Κavasila, Stroussi and Κourtesi (Ilia), as well as Limnochori (Achaia). George Koutroumpezis, Solar Technology Supervisor, O&M Greece, Enel Green Power, says: “We are using the PV plant as an ideal solution to the lack of areas for livestock to graze on, an issue that triggers continual disputes between farmers and stock breeders. Moreover, it is a perfectly sustainable solution that minimizes our grass-cutting costs, while maximizing the use of naturally growing grass to the benefit of the local community.” In order to have the best results, a number of challenges must be met. The maximum height of the plants has to remain stable, the vegetation in the area must remain the same, and operating costs for its management must be minimized. Furthermore, the O&M teams must always work in an environmentally friendly manner and must avoid damaging the rest of the equipment as they work. Working with the local community The use of sheep in vegetation management is of benefit not only to Enel Green Power Hellas but also to the local communities. The project minimizes the risk of a fire caused by electrical faults at the DC field of the solar plant spreading. It also creates a favorable working environment for the O&M teams, while the daily presence of personnel at the solar plants ensures a continuous visual check and quick detection of non‐electrical incidents. As is the case in other countries where we operate, the application of agrivoltaics (agriculture sharing land with photovoltaics) is helping to increase the amount of grazing areas for livestock. This means that local sheep-breeding enterprises have a safe area where they can graze their animals long-term. By keeping vegetation under control, the solar plant becomes a natural firebreak, helping prevent the spread of a fire, should one break out in a neighboring area. It also leads to the saving of fuel that would be needed for mechanical cutting and avoids the use of chemical herbicides that can cause pollution of both the soil and water resources. This is an initiative that demonstrates Enel Green Power’s commitment to sustainability and the way our business strategy embraces sustainable practices all the way through the O&M phase.

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When sheep can help solar energy

When sheep can help solar energy