2,500 sheep are working at a Tulia solar farm. Here's why
Author: Alana Edgin at USA Today
Key Points:
A Texas solar farm is using more than 2,000 sheep to maintain the land, alongside traditional mowers.
This practice, known as solar grazing, helps lower emissions and costs while allowing farmland to serve multiple purposes.
The Hornet Solar project is one of the largest in the U.S. and hopes to serve as an example for large-scale solar grazing.
TULIA, Texas — Off of a dirt road near Tulia, Texas, a solar farm four times larger than New York City's Central Park soaks up the sun. Beneath its panels, more than 2,000 sheep and 11 dogs maintain the land.
These four-legged employees are solar grazing, a practice of using livestock, typically sheep, as natural mowers. Vesper Energy, based in Dallas, unveiled the Hornet Solar project in April 2025 as one of the largest operations in the U.S. It is now hoping to also encourage the practice of solar grazing on a large scale.
"This is our first time to do it, and it's been really interesting to see how it's working," said Rick Knauth, head of asset management at Vesper Energy. "It's been a really good experience here. Everyone's happy."
What is solar grazing?
Solar grazing is the practice of using livestock, typically sheep, as a natural mowing service at solar farms. Knauth added that the sheep are used to help keep vegetation low at Hornet Solar. The hope is to eventually go fully solar grazing, not needing the mechanical mowers that can sometimes damage equipment.
"That doesn't happen with sheep, which is another nice benefit," Knauth said. "The way it is panning out here, it is cheaper, it is working fine, and there's been no negative feedback."
Solar grazing also helps lower emissions and costs, and allows farmland to serve multiple purposes. The sheep’s wool and meat can be harvested, further helping agricultural industries, according to the American Solar Grazing Association.
“Farm incomes are down, and solar grazing allows farmers to increase and diversify revenues without taking land out of food production,” stated the American Solar Grazing Association’s website. “Sheep are naturally suited to the job of solar grazing. They enjoy the shade of the solar panels on hot days, napping and grazing where humans would struggle to reach.”
Hornet Solar, Vesper Energy aim to continue growth in power and sheep
With more than 1.36 million photovoltaic modules covering 3,900 acres and a capacity of 600 MWac, Hornet Solar has the largest capacity in Texas, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. It is the second largest in the U.S. as of September 2025, following Gemini Solar Hybrid’s 690 MW capacity in Clark, Nevada, according to cleanview.co.
With this size, the Hornet Solar flock has room for expansion. As of Sept. 23, the flock has 2,275 ewes and 244 lambs. It expects an additional 550 lambs to be born in the second week of October, and will continue to grow as rams are brought in for the fall breeding season.
Hornet Solar’s flock also has 11 guardian dogs, led by Buck. The two newest dogs in the pack are named after the project, Vesper and Solar. The guardians include Great Pyrenees, Anatolian Shepherd and Akbash breeds and mixes.
“(Buck) is a sweet dog that will approach anyone who visits the sheep,” Vesper Energy stated in a fact sheet. “Yet, he won't put up with coyotes or other predators that get near his sheep. Thousands of years of selective breeding have instilled an inherent desire to protect sheep.”
With the massive scope of this project, and the usage of solar grazing, Knauth hopes this becomes an example for others.
"I'm hoping, by how well we're doing and how it's just working out in a really uncomplicated fashion, that this could serve as an example for others who are thinking about it," Knauth said. "We're serving as sort of a proving ground for large scale sheep operations."
Vesper Solar is planning to add more sheep and another solar project in the area. People can learn more about Hornet Solar at hornetsolartx.com.