Toyota West Virginia has come up with a unique and environmentally-friendly approach to maintaining its 5-acre solar array. They have enlisted the help of a herd of 20 sheep to perform some important “lambscaping.”

In order for solar panels to effectively generate power, vegetation around them must be kept low. Uncontrolled growth can cause unwanted shadows that block the sun’s rays. This is where the sheep come in.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a single sheep can consume up to four pounds of grass per day. They can easily fit underneath the solar panels and munch on any stray sprigs and weeds that grow in hard-to-reach areas.

Using sheep for this task has several advantages. Sheep have a lower carbon footprint compared to typical commercial mowers, and they also don’t spray rocks and debris that could potentially damage the equipment. Additionally, because sheep have a varied diet, the need for pesticides and other chemicals is reduced.

David Rosier, President of Toyota West Virginia, expressed the importance of embracing new ideas and innovative approaches to environmental stewardship. He believes that this program will help save money, lower emissions, support local farmers, and align the company with nature.

Toyota West Virginia is the first Toyota plant in the United States to implement agrivoltaics, which involves using land for both agriculture and solar energy generation.

The sheep are confined to a locked, fenced enclosure, and they will be monitored daily with the assistance of a dog. They will be on-site from April through October.

The solar array at Toyota West Virginia is the largest in the state, capable of generating 2.6 megawatts of power. This is enough to power over 400 homes. Furthermore, the solar generation reduces the plant’s CO2 emissions by an estimated 4 million pounds per year. Along the main road leading to the facility, there is also a series of five solar flowers that provide power to the employee services buildings and three electric vehicle charging stations.

In addition to its solar initiatives, Toyota West Virginia has created a biodiversity park on its premises. This park features various habitats, including forests and wetlands, as well as a pollinator garden, an outdoor classroom, bird houses, bat houses, and a nesting platform to support local avian species.

Toyota West Virginia is the only Toyota plant in North America that combines engine and transmission production. Furthermore, it is the sole manufacturing plant on the continent that produces hybrid transaxles. With a facility size of almost two million square feet, the plant employs over 2,000 individuals and has invested more than $10 million in local philanthropic and educational initiatives over the past twenty years.

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