June 10, 2020 | by Rob Hamilton
Regenerative EnergyTM restores healthy functioning grassland ecosystems. Biodiversity is essential to this restoration, enabling grasslands to be more resilient and to better sequester carbon. That is why we worked with our partners at White Oak Pastures to integrate the world’s first pastured raised-solar shaded-poultry on a utility scale solar farm into the current Regenerative Energy practices at the Bancroft Station Solar Farm. Over 7,000 broiler chickens are being raised on pasture under the Bancroft Station solar modules, helping to restore the land along with 1,885 sheep already regenerating the soil. Those same modules in return shade the chickens during the day and protect them from predators and rainy weather.
Every two to five days, these chickens will rotate to a new pasture following behind the sheep rotation, playing a key role in our co-location of solar energy and regenerative agriculture to build both a resilient, decentralized energy system and a resilient, decentralized food system. The chickens not only thrive on grasses freshly grazed by sheep but also provide an organic pest control and additional fertilization for the soil housing our solar facilities. Below are some photos of our new feathered friends in action.
