Can I graze cattle near my solar panels?
Cattle grazing has been implemented at a few solar installations, however, co-locating cattle and PV installations can require fencing, and raising the height of the panels, which can increase cost.
Sheep are often co-located with solar, as the standard height is high enough for sheep to access the vegetation beneath the panels. According to NREL, 794 megawatts of solar in the US are incorporated with sheep grazing.
Will solar panels affect soil quality?
The most common panel design utilizes silicon. Panels are typically covered in a glass pane, and sealed. Due to this sealed nature, leaching of metals from the modules will not affect your soil health.
Can I grow crops under my panels?
Shade-tolerant crops can be grown under solar installations. Panels will cool vegetation during the day and keep them warmer at night, so the daily average crop temperatures are similar to crops in full sun. Note that harvest equipment may not be able to operate under installations. The concept of using land for both solar panels and crops is known as agrovoltaics: a relatively new area of research with great potential. For a more detailed look into agrovoltaics, we suggest diving into these resources from the US Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL): https://www.nrel.gov/solar/market-research-analysis/agrivoltaics.html & https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/articles/potential-agrivoltaics-us-solar-industry-farmers-and-communities