HUNTERTOWN — As record heat settled over Northeast Indiana, a new flock of sheep found an escape, beneath Northeastern REMC’s solar panels.

Local sheep producer Zach Warner recently released approximately 85 female sheep and 110 young lambs on Northeastern REMC’s Hatch Road Solar Field. This is part of the company’s agrivoltaics initiative: combining solar power generation with agricultural opportunities.

Warner, who had heard about similar grazing projects, approached Northeastern with the idea, according to an announcement from the company.

“I brought the idea to REMC, and it just took off from there,” Warner said. “Benny was great to work with early on, and then Jon and Amy ran with it. It’s been a true team effort getting this off the ground.”

That team includes Benjamin Strack, energy asset specialist, who facilitated the early planning conversations, Jon Weirick, engineering project manager, and Amy Brown, a Lilly Scholar and NREMC’s special projects intern. Together, they played key roles in designing and starting the solar grazing initiative. The project supports efficient land use, providing vegetation for sheep to graze, while enriching soil health through natural fertilization, eliminating the need for mechanical mowing and herbicides.

Additionally, unlike open pastures, pastures that are covered by solar panels provide all-day relief from the blazing sun.

“That’s the big thing I really like, we’re going to have these hot days and they’re always going to have shade,” Warner said as the flock quickly made themselves at home, grazing contently beneath solar panels. “I just think this is a good use of land, it just makes sense,” Warner says.

The partnership marks the first of its kind for NREMC, which plans to expand the program later this year at its Quarry Solar Field. That site will also feature native plants to support pollinator species, further enhancing the ecosystem services provided by the land.

“This is a win-win for everyone. Our members, local agriculture, and the environment,” said Chris Todd, Director of Marketing and Communications at Northeastern REMC. “We’re proud to partner with Zach and look forward to expanding innovative solutions like this for the benefit of our community.”

Northeastern REMC is proud to take this innovative step in agrivoltaics to provide real value in their energy mix that benefits the community through more stable rates and local agriculture, the company said.

Northeastern REMC is a member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Columbia City. It provides reliable power to approximately 30,000 households and businesses across portions of Allen, Huntington, Kosciusko, Noble, Wabash, and Whitley counties.