Solar Grazing in Rural Scotland - A Possible New Chapter for Energy and Farming

21st November 2025

Across the Caithness and the wider Highlands, conversations about resilience often circle back to two themes. They are how we keep our communities powered, and how we keep our land productive.

The idea of solar grazing combining renewable energy generation with traditional sheep farming offers a rare chance to do both at once. It is a model already proven in other parts of the world, where solar farms have discovered that sheep are the most efficient, sustainable way to keep grass and weeds from shading panels. For Scotland, the question is not whether this idea works, but whether we can make it work here.

At its core, the economics of solar grazing are straightforward. Building a solar farm in the UK today costs between £615,000 and £730,000 per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity. A modest 1 MW farm the kind a community co‑operative might manage would therefore require an upfront investment of around three‑quarters of a million pounds.

Larger projects benefit from economies of scale: a 5 MW farm might cost £3.1-3.6 million, while a 20 MW utility‑scale project could reach £12–13 million. These are serious sums, but they are not beyond the reach of councils, co‑ops, or developer partnerships, especially when spread across multiple stakeholders.

Could some of the money flowing to communities from Wind Farms be used to help create energy and and income for crofters and others with a few more jobs also adding value.

What do we get back for that investment? In Scotland's climate, a 1 MW solar farm can generate roughly 1,000–1,200 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. At current wholesale electricity prices of around £65 per MWh, that translates to £65,000–£78,000 in annual income. Scale that up, and a 5 MW farm could bring in £325,000–£390,000 each year, while a 20 MW project might earn £1.3–1.5 million. These figures are not speculative; they reflect the real economics of solar generation in northern latitudes.

Solar grazing adds another layer of value. Traditionally, solar operators must mow or spray weeds several times a year to prevent shading and fire risks. By integrating sheep, those costs fall dramatically. Case studies abroad suggest savings of £5,000–£10,000 per MW per year, which for a 5 MW farm could mean £25,000–£50,000 saved annually. On top of that, crofters can earn grazing lease income — modest in cash terms, perhaps £1,250–£2,500 per year for a mid‑sized farm — but significant in terms of cultural continuity and local pride. And there is the intangible but real potential of branding: "solar‑grazed Highland lamb" could become a niche product, linking our heritage farming to the clean energy future.

Of course, challenges remain. Scotland’s solar yield is lower than southern England’s, so projects must be carefully sited. Panels need to be raised slightly higher to allow sheep to move freely, adding a small premium to construction costs. Policy support will be essential, whether through grants, rural development funds, or community benefit schemes. Yet none of these obstacles are insurmountable. In fact, they are precisely the kind of practical hurdles that rural communities have always overcome, by pooling resources and thinking creatively.

The broader significance of solar grazing lies in its symbolism. It shows that renewable energy need not be imposed from outside, but can be woven into the fabric of local life. It demonstrates that crofting and clean energy are not rivals, but partners. And it offers a model of resilience that is both economic and cultural: steady income from electricity sales, reduced costs through grazing, and a renewed sense of purpose for our land and livestock.

Interest Note
While solar grazing has taken root in places as far apart as China’s deserts and America’s prairies, the Highlands are their own landscape, with their own rhythms and traditions. What matters is not whether we copy those models, but whether we adapt the principle using our land twice over, for energy and for farming in ways that fit our crofting heritage and community needs. The fact that others have tried it simply shows that the idea is practical; the way we shape it here will be uniquely Highland.

This essay is not an exhaustive study but is just a few thought provoking ideas.

Let us know if anyone is taking up the idea.