old'un Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 A lot of the smaller farmers (200 acre or less) are struggling, a few I know are thinking of selling up, speaking to one such farmer the other week and he’s been approached by an energy company to turn most of the land over to solar panels, he’s just waiting for planning now. Wonder if this will spill over into the UK?...https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-68126373 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 Good luck to them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 I think Scotland are starting to but not on the same scale as France and Germany. Mate of mines just got nearly half his farm given the okay for solar. Farming just isn't paying. So he has to change tactic. Atleast solar keeps the land as land, not tarmac and bricks.. he will still run a flock of sheep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agriv8 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 Youngsters seem to think that food on the shelves is magic with few wanting to go into farming. with everything stacked against the small farmer it’s a lot of hard work for little remuneration and risks outside your control can wipe any small profit out! Always thought a farmers cooperative may help smaller producers! Agriv8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Shot Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 I would have thought it obvious that the Net Zero requirements would mean that vast swathes of the countryside would be turned over to solar to enable those goals to met. It either wasn't figured or isn't cared that the result of that policy would mean that food production would be off shored as a result. Low market rates for produce and ever decreasing subsidies have ensured that farmers are left with little choice but to diversify with green energy being one of the better paying and zero risk options. We only have so much land and we have to choose between growing food or generating energy. Parts of the land on which our game syndicate takes place are due to have solar panels installed meaning that no shooting will take place during the installation and any shooting after will be limited to areas that aren't near to the solar panels. It's quite concerning (to shooters only obviously) as they are due to be installed on the better parts of the shoots where all of the pens and drives are currently located. I'm not sure why off shore solar hasn't become as popular as off shore wind. Millions of acres of the surface of the water in UK territorial waters that are just sat there doing nothing. The installations would need to be quite robust and designed for off shore use but it can be done and should be done in preference to turning over farmland from food to energy production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jall25 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 2 minutes ago, Poor Shot said: I would have thought it obvious that the Net Zero requirements would mean that vast swathes of the countryside would be turned over to solar to enable those goals to met. It either wasn't figured or isn't cared that the result of that policy would mean that food production would be off shored as a result. Low market rates for produce and ever decreasing subsidies have ensured that farmers are left with little choice but to diversify with green energy being one of the better paying and zero risk options. We only have so much land and we have to choose between growing food or generating energy. Parts of the land on which our game syndicate takes place are due to have solar panels installed meaning that no shooting will take place during the installation and any shooting after will be limited to areas that aren't near to the solar panels. It's quite concerning (to shooters only obviously) as they are due to be installed on the better parts of the shoots where all of the pens and drives are currently located. I'm not sure why off shore solar hasn't become as popular as off shore wind. Millions of acres of the surface of the water in UK territorial waters that are just sat there doing nothing. The installations would need to be quite robust and designed for off shore use but it can be done and should be done in preference to turning over farmland from food to energy production. Just cant understand why solar is simply not on the roofs of all the new mega factories - warehouses etc etc Have them in the fields near us and its a bio desert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poor Shot Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 4 minutes ago, jall25 said: Just cant understand why solar is simply not on the roofs of all the new mega factories - warehouses etc etc Have them in the fields near us and its a bio desert I would assume that there is no requirement for new builds to be covered in solar as this would remove the need for them to supplied with (as much) electricity commercially. Despite the almost cult like following that Net Zero seems to have by government I'm sure there is still a lot of lobbying going on to ensure that no matter what the energy companies still get their big fat slice. It would also be hard for government to tax self generated energy and I imagine that a government applying a tax to those who are going with the narrative simply because the government is otherwise losing out on income wouldn't be very popular. Having pre-installed solar and battery storage facilities in all new builds going forward would go some way towards lessening our need for industrialised energy production and also go some way towards solving the issue that is the limited grid capacity we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 5 hours ago, jall25 said: Just cant understand why solar is simply not on the roofs of all the new mega factories - warehouses etc etc Have them in the fields near us and its a bio desert It also baffles me, how many houses are in this country, warehouses, shopping centres... Theist goes on. Could be putting them on any roof .. makes no sense why they are not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 5 hours ago, Poor Shot said: I'm not sure why off shore solar hasn't become as popular as off shore wind. Millions of acres of the surface of the water in UK territorial waters that are just sat there doing nothing. The installations would need to be quite robust and designed for off shore use but it can be done and should be done in preference to turning over farmland from food to energy production. I’ll give you just one example of why not…. Cleaning ( cost of ) simple on land, a bloke with a squeegee and bucket of soapy water. At sea, or even a resevoir / lake, means boat, safety equipment, more than 1 person. If it was cheap n easy the water companies would have smothered the resevoirs, very few have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnphilip Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 4 hours ago, Red696 said: I’ll give you just one example of why not…. Cleaning ( cost of ) simple on land, a bloke with a squeegee and bucket of soapy water. At sea, or even a resevoir / lake, means boat, safety equipment, more than 1 person. If it was cheap n easy the water companies would have smothered the resevoirs, very few have. Agree , I think the salt air would be very corrosive to electric parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 5 hours ago, Red696 said: the water companies would have smothered the resevoirs, very few have. Most modern panels self clean when it rains don't they. Also a great way to catch water, runs straight off panels in to the res. Also would shade it from summer months of evaporation... Makes alot of sense really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 8 minutes ago, ShootingEgg said: Most modern panels self clean when it rains don't they. Also a great way to catch water, runs straight off panels in to the res. Also would shade it from summer months of evaporation... Makes alot of sense really Rain capture is more from the land than the sky, although it obvioulsy does fall from the sky 😂. The shade does help with algea bloom though. The arrays are perfect perching for all kinds of birds, and the resulting mess just doesn’t shift without physical intervention. It was going to be the next big money maker for water companies, shortlived project when reality hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 16 hours ago, ShootingEgg said: Most modern panels self clean when it rains don't they. Also a great way to catch water, runs straight off panels in to the res. Also would shade it from summer months of evaporation... Makes alot of sense really Would hinder the *****y cormorants too? Our local reservoir has a roost of about 100 now and one can only wonder about their impact on the trout fishery there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 6 hours ago, old man said: Would hinder the *****y cormorants too? Our local reservoir has a roost of about 100 now and one can only wonder about their impact on the trout fishery there? Or give them safe haven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 So it turns out that fields and fields of solar panels actually create localised heating of the air causing up draught of air and moisture leading to more volatile weather = climate change. Irregular and unpredictable weather patterns . So the solar panels being installed everywhere are actually causing the problem that they are supposed to be solving .(while fat cats get rich selling it to the gullible ) .creating an almost desert like environment below them means less carbon dioxide is absorbed by new plant growth leading to higher co2 levels . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 30 minutes ago, Ultrastu said: So it turns out that fields and fields of solar panels actually create localised heating of the air causing up draught of air and moisture leading to more volatile weather = climate change. Irregular and unpredictable weather patterns . So the solar panels being installed everywhere are actually causing the problem that they are supposed to be solving .(while fat cats get rich selling it to the gullible ) .creating an almost desert like environment below them means less carbon dioxide is absorbed by new plant growth leading to higher co2 levels . can you have an ‘almost desert’ and still get moisture? “Causing” surely you mean contributing? The environmentalist don’t need us making up problems for them to latch onto, they have enough of their own made up stories. For real localised heating look no further than modern big Cities, not a fan of Cities myself.. One water company fitted solar panels on the roofs of their service resevoirs, then realised they couldn’t carry out the regulatory grounds maintenance with them in place, so they have them periodically removed, stored and refitted 😂 The only saving grace being that they were fitted to reduce energy costs not for environmental reasons, energy costs are indeed down but maintenance costs are now up and they are producing more co2 shipping them back and to 😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Deserts aren't only sandy places . Antarctica is a desert .the tundras of northern Russia are deserts .(plenty of water there .) It's means a desolate place with little in the way of diverse life forms . The total opposite would be a rain forest . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 4 minutes ago, Ultrastu said: Deserts aren't only sandy places . Antarctica is a desert .the tundras of northern Russia are deserts .(plenty of water there .) It's means a desolate place with little in the way of diverse life forms . The total opposite would be a rain forest . fair point…. Although if you ever get the chance to visit a field based solar array in this country you will find a wide range of wildlife, from the micrscopic tight up to sheep size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Oh and I'm not making up any problems .this phenomenon is pretty well documented and understood .and I totally agree with you about large cities doing exactly the same thing (it always rains more in Manchester and Birmingham than it does in surrounding countryside ). Yet they still cover over green spaces and carbon absorbing flora with concrete . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 2 minutes ago, Red696 said: fair point…. Although if you ever get the chance to visit a field based solar array in this country you will find a wide range of wildlife, from the micrscopic tight up to sheep size. I have unfortunately they surround me in flat somerset . And I see the very real effect they are having on the plant life .the animal life and the humans that live near them, non of it beneficial to anyone other than those making a fast buck .I guess the only upside is they will be removed and thrown into land fill withing 15 years and hopefully not replaced .I really can't see them lasting long term . I feel we should be more self sufficient as a food producing nation and reclaim the fields to feed our family's. With crops and live stock . A diversity of food stuffs from winter veg to cereal crops in summer . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vmaxphil Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 With all this agricultural land going out of production will we end up in the same situation as before the second World War when we imported 70% of our foodstuffs and possibly being held to ransom? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 9 hours ago, Ultrastu said: I have unfortunately they surround me in flat somerset . And I see the very real effect they are having on the plant life .the animal life and the humans that live near them, non of it beneficial to anyone other than those making a fast buck .I guess the only upside is they will be removed and thrown into land fill withing 15 years and hopefully not replaced .I really can't see them lasting long term . I feel we should be more self sufficient as a food producing nation and reclaim the fields to feed our family's. With crops and live stock . A diversity of food stuffs from winter veg to cereal crops in summer . I agree plant life does suffer but in my experience the animals soon put them to use as shelter, which does tend to annoy the operators but F them. As for self sufficient I totally agree , thats why I grow most of my own veg and summer fruits, Christ I’ve even learnt how to make Jam 😂. Wish I could grow Bananas, maybe if climate change really does exist I will do it in the future. Do you grow anything or insist on only buying seasonal UK veg? Every little action helps support our Farmers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultrastu Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 I do grow yes and harvest my trees and as many pigeon as I can . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red696 Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 1 hour ago, Ultrastu said: I do grow yes and harvest my trees and as many pigeon as I can . Can’t beat it 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 15 hours ago, Ultrastu said: So it turns out that fields and fields of solar panels actually create localised heating of the air causing up draught of air and moisture leading to more volatile weather = climate change. Irregular and unpredictable weather patterns . So the solar panels being installed everywhere are actually causing the problem that they are supposed to be solving .(while fat cats get rich selling it to the gullible ) .creating an almost desert like environment below them means less carbon dioxide is absorbed by new plant growth leading to higher co2 levels . Gullible sheeple is us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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