The threat of factory closures and massive job cuts have given German carmaker Volkswagen and its staff plenty to chew over, and positive news has been rare for employees in recent months.

But over at its Poznań factory in Poland, a rather special recruitment drive has been taking place to enlist help in maintaining the green spaces around the factory's solar farm, Volkswagen says.

Who are the company's latest hires? A flock of 100 sheep, tasked with replacing the usual lawnmowers and keeping the grass between the rows of a huge solar array neatly trimmed.

Yes, the latest employees work for food instead of regular wages, but this is no cost-cutting measure. The solar-grazing concept is part of a trend known as agri-photovoltaics, which involves using land for both electricity generation and agriculture.

The solar panels provide clean energy while the sheep take care of the grasslands. Ideally, both sides benefit, say experts, since maintenance costs are cut while biodiversity and soil quality can be improved.

"Sheep grazing demonstrates that modern industry can work harmoniously with nature," said Marzena Pillich-Grońska, director of Volkswagen Poznań, announcing the new hires in July.

The photovoltaic set-up comprises more than 31,000 solar panels and, on particularly sunny days, it generates enough electricity to meet the factory's entire energy requirements, supplying around a quarter of the plant's annual electricity needs. – dpa