A new clean energy initiative in Australia will merge solar power with agriculture in one massive environmental project.

The Australian government has approved plans for a new solar farm in Tasmania, an island off the country’s southern coast, according to a report by PV Magazine.

The Weasel Solar Farm Station will have 4,000 solar panels installed, but it will be designed so sheep are able to graze on the grass beneath the panels.

Once fully operational, it’s projected to cut planet-warming gas pollution by the equivalent of 48,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

“This project is another example of how we can capitalize on our natural resources and make the shift to cheaper, clean, reliable, renewable energy,” said Murray Watt, Australia’s federal minister for the environment, per PV Magazine.

Being so far south, Tasmania gets lots of extra sunlight during the summer, making it an ideal choice for a solar farm.

The Australian government has demonstrated its commitment to the environment, approving 89 renewable energy projects since 2022. According to PV Magazine, this is enough to power more than 11 million homes across the country.

Not only will this solar farm provide clean energy and help curb harmful pollution, but it will also offer food and shade for sheep.

Solar grazing is a recently popular movement in which solar farms are built with enough room for animals to graze below the panels.

The concept merges solar energy production and agriculture, known as “agrivoltaics.”

It’s not only grazing farm animals that can benefit from this idea. It’s also possible to fill solar fields with native plants to support pollinators like bees and butterflies, which encourages biodiversity and helps protect human food supplies.

What’s more, farmers can lease their land to solar companies to generate additional income while conserving resources at the same time.

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