The Myrtle solar farm in Brazoria County, Texas, is a shining example of sustainability that spans 2,400 acres of former pasture land and eliminates the need for fuel-powered lawnmowers.

The facility, which was completed in 2023, is one of many renewable energy projects that have helped keep the state in the top three for installed solar capacity, alongside California and Florida.

It is run by TotalEnergies, a Paris-based oil company, and features 705,000 photovoltaic cells and a herd of grass-munching sheep to help maintain the landscape, according to a report by ABC13. 

“Myrtle renewable power plant consists of two parts. One is a solar power plant of 380 megawatts that is generating enough clean and clear energy to power 70,000 homes,” said Ahmed Sari, a construction manager who oversaw the project and spoke to the outlet.

The solar power plant is complemented by a 225-megawatt battery storage system that’s connected to support the local electrical grid as needed. These are crucial to expanding renewable resources such as solar and wind, helping store energy for use during peak demand hours. 

Agrivoltaics is a term used to describe the combination of solar power and farming, which frequently produces harmonious results. Many of these facilities use the shade provided by solar panels to give solace to crops and livestock while fostering natural habitats for pollinators. 

“We have sheep grazing under the solar panels in order to control vegetation in a very sustainable manner,” said Marie Maitre, Total’s external communications manager, per the report.

The sheep get to enjoy a considerable amount of grazing land and shade, and groundskeepers don’t need to use gas-guzzling lawnmowers or dangerous pesticides. This reduces maintenance costs, potentially lowering rates for consumers. 

Solar and wind installations accounted for 97.8% of all new U.S. electrical capacity in the first quarter of 2025, while dirty fuels such as gas and oil made up the meager difference, proving that the shift to more sustainable energy sources is gaining traction.

Tesla and Honda have made deals to power their local operations with solar power generated in the state, and a new photovoltaic facility began production earlier this year. 

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Recent data showed that Texas has nearly 80% more solar, wind, and battery capacity combined than California, although the Golden State may have an edge in solar installations alone. 

A little competition can only help in our quest to shift to sustainable energy and ditch pollution-generating alternatives. 

“We are going to need all the energy types that we can have in order to meet the growing demand for energy of our growing world population,” Maitre concluded.

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