Mon Power, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp., has used sheep to maintain vegetation at the solar energy site next to the coal-fired Fort Martin Power Station in Maidsville, West Virginia.
The 18.9 MW solar panel with the coal-fired power plant on the right. Credit: FirstEnergy
“We operate this site with an innovative approach that combines renewable energy and agriculture for the benefit of our community,” said Dan Rossero, VP of FirstEnergy’s West Virginia Generation. “Solar grazing allows us to keep the site running efficiently, while supporting local farmers and reducing our carbon footprint. By working with sheep farmers and promoting solar energy, we are having a positive impact that extends far beyond the fence line.”
At the Fort Martin solar site, which began operating in early 2024, Mon Power entered into a contract with Sivic LLC, a solar farm led by Nate Dean and Luci Mosesso, farmers based in Pocahontas County.
Approximately 350 sheep grazed on the site throughout the autumn. Sivic moved the sheep around the site every four to six days, using temporary fencing to ensure consistent pruning of vegetation throughout the site. With vegetation growth declining, the sheep will spend the winter on their Pocahontas County ranch and return to the basking area in the spring.
“It’s a regenerative way to manage vegetation on a site that is itself regenerative as a renewable energy source,” Dean said.
The 18.9 MW Fort Martin solar site was the first of three sites developed as part of Mon Power and Potomac Edison’s solar program, which includes the development of solar projects on brownfields or affected industrial properties. With two additional locations in Marion County and Berkeley County, the companies have 30 MW of solar capacity.
Through the solar programMon Power and Potomac Edison customers in West Virginia who support renewable energy can purchase solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) – certificates that represent the environmental credentials of solar energy and prove that solar energy was generated on behalf of the buyers.
