Solar Array as Goat and Sheep Shelter?

[WildWyandott110]

So, as I was walking around my acreage today, and I passed my 90 X 24, 54 panel solar array. An idea struck me that I might be able to double up the wasted space beneath the steel frame as a livestock shelter. Has anyone tried this? Any concerns?

 

[Beekissed]

Hide yer wires... Got any pics of the place?

 

[Mini Horses]

goats jump -- can the panels handle that? Sheep may be ok.

Much depends on how far between ground and lowest panel, etc.

 

[sumi]

It can work, depending on the set-up, space underneath etc. Pics would help give us an idea.

 

[WildWyandott110]

Hide yer wires... Got any pics of the place?

It can work, depending on the set-up, space underneath etc. Pics would help give us an idea.

I'd say that the space underneath is about 20' -ish at the highest point, 3' at the lowest.

goats jump -- can the panels handle that? Sheep may be ok.

Much depends on how far between ground and lowest panel, etc.

There's about 2 1/2' between the ground and the panels, at the lowest point of the day.

 

[Beekissed]

They can jump up against that easy, both goats and sheep, so as long as you fenced them off the back of your array and guards around all your wires or soft elements of your setup, it could provide a tad of shelter from the wind and such, depending on the angle of your tilt.

 

[Mini Horses]

That is a wonderful thing to have and certainly NOT CHEAP. That said, if it were mine, I would never let an animal near it! It would not be worth the risk of damage for me. I'd fence it off if I wanted to graze the rest of the area.

Wish it were at my house.... ....I'd love to have solar.

 

[Beekissed]

I'd feel the same way. And especially not goats or sheep...too destructive at the best of times.

 

[WildWyandott110]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[CrealCritter]

Yeah I would most definitely put an electric fence around that array. It's just not worth the risk of wild or farm animals being animals and doing damage to a panel or maybe even the whole array. Farm or wild animals aren't like pets that you can scold and train to not do what you don't want them to do.