Solar Again

[riverwhy]

This article makes the case that many of the health and environmental concerns about solar farming are exaggerated and used by local governments responding to citizen’s complaints. In particular some on the Clarion thread voiced opposition to their use on farmland. This article cites solar farming as a way to hold onto the family farm. While I don’t support cutting down trees to create solar farms, placing them on farmland seems reasonable and probably better for the local environment than farming. And farming can still be done between the arrays.

Unfounded health claims are powering a solar backlash

Solar restrictions popping up across the US “often rooted in misinformation or unfounded fears.”

www.salon.com

 

[CoachEK]

I'd much prefer to see solar panels sited on buildings and parking lots. We have lots of those locations already...

 

[tjsingle]

I'd much prefer to see solar panels sited on buildings and parking lots. We have lots of those locations already...

This ^

 

[riverwhy]

I'd much prefer to see solar panels sited on buildings and parking lots. We have lots of those locations already...

Not sure how anyone could disagree with this! I think only California has those kind of requirements.

 

[tomgamber]

I'd much prefer to see solar panels sited on buildings and parking lots. We have lots of those locations already...

Obviously there are places we'd rather see anything of this sort. But I can imagine being a farmer, ready to retire, not having a neighbor to lease their land and continue to grow food or feed (as my aunt with the retired dairy farm does), and being offered a good amount of money have these placed on acres of unused land.

 

[dudemanspecial]

Nobody is forcing anyone to put solar panels on their property. That is up to the landowner to make that decision and your opinions amount to squat, because 'merica and all that stuff.

 

[salmo]

Solar vs. Nuclear? "Here Comes the Sun."

 

[SBecker]

Solar vs. Nuclear? "Here Comes the Sun."

I had a nuclear engineer on my boat 2 weeks ago. He was explaining to me that we will probably never build another plant. Told me it takes 20 years to build and another 20-30 for it to be profitable. No one will wait 40-50 years to make a profit.

 

[6xAdams(Jones)]

I had a nuclear engineer on my boat 2 weeks ago. He was explaining to me that we will probably never build another plant. Told me it takes 20 years to build and another 20-30 for it to be profitable. No one will wait 40-50 years to make a profit.

Hence the recent efforts to restart some of the nuclear stations that were shut down, defueled, but not completely decommissioned. Most commercial domestic nuclear stations produce around a billion watts/unit, and a one-acre solar farm can produce 250 thousand watts (only under ideal conditions). Profitable or not, it's hard to argue power factor. (Not that I disagree with your rider. I may even know him or her.)

 

[salmo]

https://wyofile.com/wyoming-nuclear-power-plant-receives-federal-approval-for-reactor-construction/I had a nuclear engineer on my boat 2 weeks ago. He was explaining to me that we will probably never build another plant. Told me it takes 20 years to build and another 20-30 for it to be profitable. No one will wait 40-50 years to make a profit.

 

[salmo]

Wyoming nuclear power plant receives federal approval for reactor construction - WyoFile

TerraPower's Natrium plant near Kemmerer is the first commercial reactor approved in nearly a decade in the U.S., and the first 'advanced' liquid sodium-cooled reactor in more than 40 years.

wyofile.com

This refers to a new permit for NUKES.

 

[DomR]

I'd much prefer to see solar panels sited on buildings and parking lots. We have lots of those locations already...

I'd go one step further, all new construction, including home additions, should have a solar energy requirement provision. You want to build something new like a home, office, warehouse, it needs to have enough solar to make it a net neutral or better yet a negative power consumer.

 

[DomR]

I had a nuclear engineer on my boat 2 weeks ago. He was explaining to me that we will probably never build another plant. Told me it takes 20 years to build and another 20-30 for it to be profitable. No one will wait 40-50 years to make a profit.

And as is proven again and again, profit drives every decision.

 

[salmo]

I'm not a fan of Nukes, but they can provide a carbon lower transition during the elimination of Carbon/Methane emitters. Maybe SpaceX can transport some of the waste to the sun?

 

[Streammagic237]

It's hard enough to build a cheap home , I would like to see the days (though they predate me) , of buying 3 acres and getting a sears pre built ( I don't want more green regulation ) . As far as turning a profit on nuclear , they wanna build all these data centers that need a ton of energy .... that will not come from solar and I think they / with gov subs will pony up to make it happen imo.

 

[tomgamber]

And as is proven again and again, profit drives every decision.

that depends or future accessibility to low cost fossil fuels. some of those smaller plants could be in play by 2030. restarting currently idle plants are extremely profitable and will last for another half century,

 

[Yoder]

Solar vs. Nuclear? "Here Comes the Sun."

Nuclear makes way more sense. Solar is a joke. All the nuclear waste ever created by mankind will fit in an Olympic sized pool. They have nuclear now that is the size of a shipping container and can be setup right next to a data center. It can power the center and the town nearby. This would solve our broken power grid.

 

[salmo]

BTW there are ways for farming and solar to co-exist in peace and profit for the farmers and environmentalists. See https://okdiario.com/techy/en/solar...re-now-rewriting-the-story-beneath-them/5202/

 

[lycoflyfisher]

BTW there are ways for farming and solar to co-exist in peace and profit for the farmers and environmentalists. See https://okdiario.com/techy/en/solar...re-now-rewriting-the-story-beneath-them/5202/

The ways for solar and ag to blend involve putting solar on barn roofs. I have yet to see a solar install more than a few acres that has anything other than cool season grass growing. Many of the industrial scale sites are being placed either on 2nd growth forest, which is sickening, mine land that often was regrowing with mixed warm season grasses and invasive shrubs or productive ag land. None of it is being built with conservation in mind, beyond minimal sheep/ goat grazing applications. Industrial solar is a complete joke and a terrible land use. Barring a substantial improvement in technology you wont change my mind. Keep it on roofs or above parking lots.

 

[dudemanspecial]

The ways for solar and ag to blend involve putting solar on barn roofs. I have yet to see a solar install more than a few acres that has anything other than cool season grass growing. Many of the industrial scale sites are being placed either on 2nd growth forest, which is sickening, mine land that often was regrowing with mixed warm season grasses and invasive shrubs or productive ag land. None of it is being built with conservation in mind, beyond minimal sheep/ goat grazing applications. Industrial solar is a complete joke and a terrible land use. Barring a substantial improvement in technology you wont change my mind. Keep it on roofs or above parking lots.

Good thing it is optional.and nobody is forcing you to install it on your property. My neighbors probably hate my kids riding dirtbikes but they don't go on their land so oh well.