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A French company raised 5,184 solar panels 16 feet over a Normandy dairy pasture, and when the open field nearby dried out in July, the grass underneath stayed green and on hot days the cows in their
Autonocion.com • • business
Key Points:
- A French solar company, TSE, installed a 5,184-panel solar canopy over 7.4 acres of pasture in Normandy, which helped keep the grass green and growing during a dry summer, unlike the adjacent open pasture that dried out completely.
- Cows grazing under the solar panels showed less heat stress, remaining calm and grazing longer in the morning compared to cows in the open field who sought shelter early due to heat, illustrating how shade benefits dairy cattle comfort and behavior.
- The shaded pasture produced forage with 15 to 47 percent more protein than the open pasture, potentially reducing the need for supplemental feed, although final annual forage yield data is pending.
- The solar canopy also generates electricity with a peak capacity of 2.9 megawatts, enough to power approximately 330 homes annually, while allowing farm machinery to operate underneath due to its elevated design.
- Despite promising preliminary results, TSE has not yet released data on milk production or herd sizes, and independent verification of the benefits is awaited, with final forage results expected in October.
