Cornell researchers tested sheep grazing under New York solar panels for three years; at two sheep per hectare, beneficial insects rose 38% versus mowing, while honey bees increased 83%

• Solar farms could offer more than clean energy.
• A three-year study by Cornell University researchers in New York has found that allowing sheep to graze beneath solar panels may also benefit insects, including bees and lady beetles, when the animals are kept at the right density.
• The findings, published in Environmental Research Letters on October 7, 2026, suggest that using sheep to manage vegetation can deliver ecological benefits alongside renewable power generation.