Some 4,000 sheep are set to graze at the Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park near Newark once the 1GW solar project gets up and running in 2027.
The figure will likely more than double to 9,000 once lambing commences on what will be the largest UK solar farm to embrace grazing.
The flock will be managed by local farmers Phil Weaver and Pete Wilson.
“We’ve been farming in this area for decades, and we’re excited to support and work with Elements Green on this project,” said Phil Weaver, who farms with his wife Helen on their 20-acre smallholding.
“Grazing sheep alongside the solar panels allows us to continue farming in a way that supports the environment while helping to generate clean energy for the region”, Weaver said.
The flock of sheep will double as natural vegetation management – saving the project £5m in mowing costs across its 40-year lifespan, as well as saving the significant carbon emissions associated with that grass cutting.
Shading from the solar panels will also create optimal grazing conditions leading to healthier sheep, according to Elements Green.
Additionally, the solar park will become a “biodiversity haven” thanks to partnerships involving a host of leading eco-organisations such as RSPB, Sherwood Forest Trust, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, and The Trent Rivers Trust, with 850 acres of the site dedicated to positive ecological management.