WVU animal scientists say solar panels could make cattle grazing lands more profitable30 June 2025 30 June 2025 4 minute read 4 minute read By: By: West Virginia University North AmericaWest Virginia University researchers are shining a light on the benefits of solar panels on small cattle farms with the support of $1.6 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The grant comes as part of the DOE’s $71 million investment — including $16 million from the Biden Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — in the development of a network of domestic solar energy manufacturers. Livestock, however, can graze on hillsides and mountainsides where renewable energy is also being generated. They don’t want to see the solar panels. “This will allow us to determine if incorporating solar panels into pasture ecosystems may alter soil health.”Establishing policy going forward will also be key.