Purpose-Driven Development: A Proven Model for Land Stewardship

Pivot Energy’s Land-First Approach to Solar Development

Pivot Energy was recognized as Solar Power World’s 2025 Top Developer in Colorado, recognizing our commitment to building a more sustainable and equitable energy system. For us, impactful solar development starts with how we view the land: as a vitally important agricultural, economic, and cultural resource. So, Pivot develops each new community solar site with the shared goals of the landowner, the community, and the local environment.

To protect U.S. land and preserve rural landscapes, we embed dual-use practices on 100% of qualified sites, prioritizing soil health, homegrown energy generation, and continued agricultural production. This purpose-driven approach to project development is anchored in our unique three-pillar approach to land stewardship. At the national level, we believe solar plays a critical role in strengthening our grid. At the local level, we work to enhance local ecosystems and build strong partnerships in every community we build in. Our land stewardship approach has a proven track record of setting U.S. communities up for long-term success.

Livestock Grazing

Pivot incorporates livestock grazing into our sustainable land management strategy by partnering with local farmers and ranchers. The mechanical vegetation management equipment that many solar farms rely on burns fossil fuels, disrupts soil structure and microhabitats, and requires significant manual effort and on-site presence. Instead, Pivot allows animals like sheep to do what they do best – graze! This approach, often referred to as solar grazing, controls plant growth naturally while delivering many meaningful benefits for landowners, grazers, and communities:

Ecological

• Eliminates the direct fossil fuel emissions associated with mechanical mowing
  
• Natural soil fertilization from nutrient-rich animal droppings
• More successful vegetation establishment as the pressure from animal hooves works seeds deeper into the soil
  

Operational

• Reduced noise compared to traditional mowing equipment
• Streamlined vegetation management for landowners – Pivot handles all grazing operations

Economic 

• Jobs created, new revenue streams unlocked, and reliable pasture provided for local grazers
• Reduced operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for landowners 
• Increased availability of cost-competitive U.S.-sourced lamb products, decreasing reliance on imports

We aim to shepherd the benefits of solar farms to rural communities across the U.S., and we prioritize intentional, collaborative partnerships that help grow our impact. This year, Pivot partnered with the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) to offer sheep grazing certification training to local grazers, helping them confidently break into solar grazing. 

And on a personal level, we’ve built long-standing relationships with partners like Watson Farms, whose sheep graze several of our Illinois sites. 

 

Our partnership with Pivot has allowed us to grow our grazing operation, support our family, and give back to our community. The Pivot team makes it easy to fit solar grazing into our existing operations. Our partnership continues to be a rewarding experience that benefits our business and our community."

 

Brooke Watson

Watson Farms

• Our collaboration with United Agrivoltaics Heartland Alliance supports quail, butterfly, and native pollinator habitat enhancement.

• We’ve partnered with Colorado State University (CSU) Dryland Ecology & Management Lab on a joint research proposal exploring how solar infrastructure can accelerate dryland restoration. Our $60,000 donation will fund a first-of-its-kind exploration of ecovoltaic synergies in the desert Southwest. The fieldwork will take place across three of Pivot’s solar projects in Mesa County, Colorado, beginning in Fall 2025. 

We are excited to work with Pivot Energy and to embark on a variety of exciting new research opportunities at the nexus of sustainable energy production and restoration ecology. Pivot’s generous support, coupled with their belief and investment in the CSU Dryland Ecology and Management Lab, demonstrates the high value the organization places on creating measurable positive impacts on people, communities, and the planet and their effort toward working in collaboration to battle climate change."

 

Carrie Havrilla

Director, CSU’s Dryland Ecology and Management Lab