In Halifax County, Virginia, a futuristic farm is taking shape, where a 65-megawatt solar farm is sharing space with grazing lambs and a 10-hive apiary that is home to 500,000 bees.
The bees are taking flight at Crystal Hill Solar, an agrivoltaic site with the capacity to power 10,800 homes per year, according to the operator, Urban Grid. The farm spans 620 acres, and the new apiary will be positioned near an edge of the land, CleanTechnica reported.
Urban Grid said the 10-hive apiary, developed in partnership with Siller Pollinator Company, is expected to produce around 400 pounds of honey per year, with some of the honey being distributed to local schools, food banks and faith-based organizations.
The solar farm already accommodates lamb, which graze on the site to help maintain it and reduce the need for mowing, in partnership with Gray’s Lambscaping. According to Gray’s Lambscaping, the lambs can help cut mowing needs by more than half.
As CleanTechnica reported, the lambs benefit from the grazing as well as additional shade provided by the solar panels.