Partnership Spotlight: Solar

Building successful solar pairings to support farmer education in North Carolina

Strata Solar/ Troy Givan- Reidsville, NC

Project size: 40 acres

Stokes County, NC

Type of operation:  Sheep

Objective 1: Contracted Solar Grazing in NC

Step by step:

  • Fall 2018: Project team reviewed interested beginning farmers against nearby solar sites within a 20-30 mile radius, assessed capacity, herd size, and skill sets.  Troy Givan was identified near a few Strata Solar sites.  Google earth and site visits conducted to ensure suitable panel and site design for grazing.
  • Fall 2018: Through industry introductions, the project team met with select representatives within Strata’s Operations and Management (O&M) and Sustainability team.
  • Winter 2019: The team discussed maintenance details such as continual grazing and mowing management under contract with farmer or seasonal grazing in conjunction with O&M contracted mowing services. The team determined continual grazing and mowing management under contract with farmers was the best course of action.
  • Winter 2019: Expectations set as to grazing height and lease requirements to secure a partnership agreement.  See Sample Solar Grazing Contract (BFRD), Sample Solar Grazing Contract (ASGA), Sample Vegetation Management (ASGA)for more details.
  • April 2019: Budget negotiations began including considerations such as amendments, mowing labor, conditions of the site that are pasture vs non-grazable areas, insurance costs, and detail.  See sample solar budget template for more details.
  • June 2019: Lease templates finalized in addition to a supplemental grazing management plan for both parties to help ensure proper site management.
  • July 2019: Sheep introduced to Strata solar site.
  • Fall 2019: Givans secured a second grazing site through Strata after demonstrating successful management of the first site.

Summary:

Troy Givans, a graduate of NCSU’s Animal Science program, owns and operates a 250 ewe katahdin sheep operation on his family farm in Reidsville NC.  Strata Solar approached NC Choices about providing opportunities for grazing on some of their solar sites and a site was made available near Givans Family Farm.  Being an NCSU Animal Science alumni with an interest in solar grazing made Troy a natural fit so NC Choices reached out to see if he was interested in the opportunity.

Being this was the first pairing of the project for NC Choices and Strata, the majority of time was spent outlining the lease and working through the budgetary process.  For example, our team sought to strike a balance between commercial insurance requirements, which were cost prohibitive for small farmers, and the liability protection needed for Strata given the level of activity taking place on the site. Strata was willing to work with us to adopt policies that adhered to these limitations.  NC Choices was able to work with Strata and Givans to determine an agreeable price per acre payment in exchange for full vegetation management by Givans.  Negotiations were aided by gaining a general understanding of what Strata was currently paying for mowing, site maintenance, and other landscape related expenses.  The price per acre rental cost also differs from the open market price per acre cost of a cleared pasture. Considerations such as the portion of grass located outside the fence reduces total grazeable acreage.  Also, labor requirements such as hauling water and liability coverage to access the site all add costs.

Often the soil requires amendments, especially in the early years, to establish forage further adding to costs. If properly outlined, a good contract takes these variables into account so a farmer can manage the site for multiple years.  Once a site is established, farmers can gain efficiency by adding more sites.   Our team was very pleased when Strata offered a second site to Troy after a successful demonstration of management of the first site demonstrating a win:win for both parties.

In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. In the foreground, in almost two perfect lines grazing
In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. To the left are sheep in almost two perfect lines grazing
Two men with hard hats and vests looking at the camera. A person is next to them leaning down. They are all in a field of brown grass and behind them is a fence
In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. To the left are sheep in almost two perfect lines grazing
In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. In the middle and foregound is grass with grazing sheep, over ~45
Over 30 sheep grazing
In the background are solar panels. In the middle and foregound is grass with grazing sheep
Two large solar panels. In between the solar panels are ~4 grazing sheep with heads in brown and green grass
In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. In the middle and foregound is grass with grazing sheep
In the background are solar panels and cloudy sky. In the middle and foregound is grass with grazing sheep, over ~45
A man talking and standing on the front left of the photo wearing a hard hat and vest. To the left of him is a fence. To the right are grazing sheep. Behind the fence are trees