100 sheep, 31,000 solar panels: inside Volkswagen’s unusual Poland experiment

At Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant in Poznań, Poland, an unusual experiment is underway: 100 sheep now manage vegetation across a solar farm spanning more than 31,000 panels, in place of the mechanical mowers that would otherwise be needed to keep the site trimmed.

The 18.3 MW installation, built and managed by Berlin-based Quanta Energy, supplies roughly 25% of the plant’s power needs over a full year and can meet the factory’s entire electricity demand on bright, sunny days. The Poznań plant, which builds the Volkswagen e-Crafter commercial van among other models, relies on the flock to trim grass naturally, including patches growing directly beneath the panels, while the panels in turn provide shade that keeps the animals cooler.

Volkswagen is working with Poznań University of Life Sciences to study how the grazing arrangement affects animal welfare, biodiversity, soil quality, vegetation and the site’s microclimate — including whether panel shade genuinely reduces heat stress in the sheep. According to flock owner Justyna Nowak-Gajek, the animals have settled in quickly, splitting into smaller groups and grazing calmly, a sign researchers say indicates they feel safe on the site.

The sheep are set to remain on the job until autumn under the supervision of experienced breeders, in an arrangement that Volkswagen says cuts machinery use, trims maintenance costs and emissions, and creates habitat for insects and other wildlife.