Enel and Texas Solar Sheep Lead Nation’s Largest Solar Grazing Effort, Honored by Fast Company

Enel North America has been named an honoree of Fast Company’s 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards for its pioneering solar grazing initiative—the largest agreement of its kind announced in the United States to date. The recognition highlights Enel’s innovative approach to sustainable land use and clean energy operations.

Fast Company’s 2025 World Changing Ideas Awards recognize 100 outstanding projects across 12 categories and industries.

In 2024, Enel signed a landmark contract with Texas Solar Sheep, LLC, a family-owned business based in Texas, to provide sheep grazing services for vegetation management at eight utility-scale solar plants across the state. The agreement covers more than 12,600 acres—nearly 75 percent of Manhattan’s area—and involves the deployment of over 8,000 sheep.  “Solar grazing isn’t a pilot project for us—it’s how we maintain vegetation at most of our solar fleet, day in and day out, in a sustainable, cost-effective way,” said Stephen Pike, head of Enel Green Power North America. “Elevating solar grazing to enterprise scale, and supporting local farmers and ranchers along the way, was a forward-thinking initiative we were proud to take on. With a growing herd, thriving local partners, and ecological benefits ranging from soil quality to pollinators, the positive results speak for themselves.”

Enel’s solar grazing program is part of its broader commitment to agrivoltaics, the practice of integrating solar energy production with agricultural activities. By using managed grazing instead of conventional mowing, Enel is enhancing soil health, preserving native habitats, and reducing operational and maintenance costs—while supporting local farmers and the American sheep industry.