From February 2027, Dr Bates will spend eight months at The Ohio State University studying “solar grazing”, where sheep are used to control vegetation growth beneath solar arrays.
The approach could help to minimise slashing or herbicide use, while allowing agricultural production to continue on land otherwise repurposed by energy infrastructure.
“Solar farms need to manage vegetation, so panels aren’t shaded and sheep are a natural fit,” Dr Bates said.
“They’re the right height, relatively gentle around infrastructure and can turn that vegetation into a productive system for farmers.”
With some of Australia’s largest solar projects being developed on former grazing land, particularly in regional areas, the research aims to understand how the model could work at scale locally.
Dr Bates said combining livestock and energy production, a practice known as ‘agrisolar’, could help farmers diversify income without losing access to productive land.
“There is real potential for agriculture and renewable energy to work together,” Dr Bates said.
“The United States already has established systems, while Australia has large sheep flocks and a rapidly expanding solar footprint.
“This research is about understanding what works, what doesn’t and how we can adapt those models for Australian conditions.”
During the placement, Dr Bates will work with agrisolar researchers to examine how these integrated agricultural and energy production systems are managed, and survey solar developers, livestock producers and communities about the benefits and challenges.
The project will also explore public perceptions of livestock grazing within solar farms, an emerging issue as renewable developments move further into agricultural regions.
Dr Bates said the opportunity to collaborate internationally would help fast-track knowledge for Australian producers.
Dr Bates’ findings are expected to inform future research opportunities between agricultural and solar industries in Australia and the United States, as both agriculture and energy sectors look for ways to balance productivity with the transition to renewable energy.
Dr Bates will begin her Fulbright placement in February 2027.
