In Dubbo, about 400 kilometers west of Sydney, Tom Warren's photovoltaic farm is quite unlike any other. Beneath rows of more than 30 solar panels installed across some 000 hectares, around a hundred sheep graze peacefully in the shade. A pioneering example of agrivoltaics in Australia, where energy production and livestock farming coexist on the same land.
When the company Neoen offered to install solar panels on his farm, Tom Warren initially saw it as a supplementary source of income, independent "of the weather or the price of wool." Today, he claims that the rents he receives exceed what he could earn from farming alone, with or without sheep under the panels.
The farmer insisted that his animals could continue grazing under the structures. He says he quickly noticed positive effects: the sheep appreciate the shade, even in winter, and the nighttime dew that forms on the panels promotes the growth of small strips of greener grass at the base of the structures.
As a result, he says, the wool produced is cleaner and of better quality, since the soil is less dry. A comparative study conducted on a neighboring plot of land without solar panels showed an increase of approximately 15% in revenue from sheep raised under the solar installations.
About fifty kilometers away, Tony Inder, whose 6,000 sheep graze on two farms totaling 4,000 hectares, observes similar effects. Under the panels, the grass remains more uniform despite the heat and drought, resulting in a more stable diet and more consistent wool.
In his case, the landowners whose properties are equipped with solar panels allow him to use the pastures free of charge. In exchange, they significantly reduce the costs associated with mowing the grass, which is necessary to prevent bushfires and ensure the proper functioning of the installations. On a 1,500-hectare site, each mowing cost approximately $90,000 and had to be done up to six times a year. Now, one or two mowings are sufficient.
The Dubbo farm, the first in Australia to combine livestock farming and large-scale solar power, has become a model for Neoen. According to the company's regional management, sheep now graze across all of its solar power plants in New South Wales.
For industry players, it is becoming difficult to separate agricultural use from energy production. While agrivoltaics currently focuses mainly on livestock farming, experiments are underway on vineyards in the state of Victoria and Western Australia to assess the impact of shade on yields.
According to experts, partial exposure to sunlight should not harm photosynthesis, especially in a country with abundant sunshine. A report by the Clean Energy Council estimates that Australian farmers could generate approximately €600 million in additional income from renewable energy by 2030, and up to €6,5 billion by 2050.
Agrivoltaics thus appears as a promising way to diversify agricultural incomes while supporting the country's energy transition.
