Solar Canopy Protects Normandy Pasture and Supports Dairy Cows

A solar installation above a dairy pasture in Souleuvre-en-Bocage, Normandy, has helped maintain grass growth and provide shade for cattle during hot, dry weather, according to French solar company TSE. The project covers 7.4 acres with 5,184 solar panels and combines agricultural production with renewable electricity generation.

Results published on September 17 showed a marked difference between the shaded pasture and a nearby open field during the summer. According to TSE, the 14.8-acre comparison pasture became dry and unproductive from July, while the grass beneath the solar canopy continued growing and remained green at the end of August.

The installation has a peak generating capacity of 2.9 megawatts. TSE estimates annual electricity production at approximately 3.59 million kilowatt-hours, enough to supply about 330 average American homes based on figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The company also reported differences in cattle behavior during periods of high temperatures. Cows grazing in the open field began returning to the barn at 9:30 a.m. on hot days, while animals under the canopy generally remained outside until noon, their usual return time.

Yoann Bizet, the farmer managing the land beneath the panels, described how temperatures affected the herd's grazing behavior.

According to TSE, the comparison pasture was “completely unproductive and dried out” during the summer, while the shaded grass continued to grow.

Bizet said temperatures above 68 degrees prompted cows in the exposed field to wait at the gate for access to the barn. Animals beneath the panels appeared to tolerate the heat better, allowing them to remain outdoors longer.

Heat can be particularly challenging for dairy cattle because digestion and milk production generate additional body heat. The University of Minnesota Extension identifies approximately 72 degrees Fahrenheit at 50 percent humidity as a threshold for mild heat stress in dairy cows, while high-producing animals may experience stress at temperatures as low as 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

TSE previously said the farmer had stopped allowing his 130 dairy cows to graze outdoors because heat and prolonged dry spells were damaging pasture quality, affecting animal comfort, and reducing milk production. The solar canopy was designed to make outdoor grazing more practical under these conditions.

The company reported that the shaded and exposed pastures produced roughly similar quantities of grass over a full year across the previous two growing seasons. Differences became more pronounced during dry periods, when the panels reduced direct sunlight and limited moisture loss from the soil.

Forage quality also differed between the two areas. TSE reported that grass harvested beneath the canopy in the previous year contained 15 percent to 47 percent more protein than forage from the comparison pasture, depending on the season.

The company also cited results from a separate cornfield project in eastern France, where crops grown beneath a similar canopy produced 19.6 percent more dry matter during drought conditions than crops in an open comparison plot. Bizet reported harvesting nearly twice as much dry forage beneath the panels during hot spells, although published tonnage figures were not provided to substantiate that estimate.

The panels sit on motorized mounts that adjust their angle throughout the day. By combining electricity generation with pasture management, the installation demonstrates how agrivoltaic systems can support agricultural operations while producing renewable energy.