Having just returned from France, we noticed even more wind turbines, but also a huge number of solar panels. I know the UK doesn't have anything like the amount of sun that France does, but surely putting more panels up would help? For instance, on covers over autoroute service area parking, or a covered area over a supermarket car park, helpful to shoppers too. Not to mention fields full of panels with animals grazing underneath.
My hunch is that, more people would moan about the turbines being unsightly in the UK - there were lots of objections when wind turbines were first introduced in this country some years ago!
As for solar panels, I found more and more are being installed in fields in Wiltshire, the county where I live.
I liked the sight of wind turbines when I was driving in France and the Netherlands recently - lots of them in NL too!
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Keep saying it but turbines need wind which is not always available. Solar needs sunlight which is not present at night.
What we should be investing a lot more in is tidal power.
Doesn't blot the landscape.
Doesn't use up valuable farm land.
Runs 24/7, 365/6.
Fields full of solar panels! ..No thanks, the mere thought I find revolting, and I simply cannot believe anyone would want to see that. Ridiculous, sorry.
We have them on our house. We purchased several years ago so get a decent return. Offsets the overall energy bill. I can't see why new builds cannot have them as standard.
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I am not a fan of fields full of solar panels but there is a lot more that could be done on fitting them to buildings both private and commercial. I quite like the idea of having solar panels fitted but it is quite an initial outlay that puts me off. I don't think there is much in the way of help to fit them now?
I think one of the problems in this country is that if people find out that a solar farm or wind farm is to be installed within sight of them, a great many of them will object. Our authorities will hold an inquiry and often those objections are upheld. I don't think this happens in France.
The UK is undoubtedly a far more windy country than a sunny one! Perhaps the reverse of much of France. I doubt that our solar farms generate very much power during dull winter days, and the further north you go the less daylight hours there are too to compound the problem!
Solar farm plans often seem to get rejected by Nimbys and planning authorities, but I can see little reason why large roofing areas of commercial and industrial buildings don't have them, well, beyond the cost vs returns argument!
I'm not sure about the 'eyesore' argument against them, I know of a few, and they are largely unnoticeable from most viewpoints, unlike wind turbines which are visible from miles around and usually from all directions! Wind turbines have a certain 'grace', but still think I prefer my views of hills and coastlines to be free of such structures!
A pal of mine has solar panels on the roof of his quite large pub complex in Devon, installed when incentives and deals made them viable, even profitable, but not sure the present arrangements would be so attractive! He's a 'supplier' of excess power to the grid in 'some' sunny summer months, but a consumer FROM the grid in winter when the daylight is poor, so as a business, solar does not make him independent of the grid, just reduces his overall annual consumption from it.
If we'd ploughed as much R and D money into tidal power as we did/do into Nuclear power, then I think we may have been following that path more! But the fact of the matter is, you still need a source of power that can be switched on 'on demand' when the highly variable 'green' sources aren't generating enough! About the only 'green' power that has truly worthwhile and cost effective 'storage' and potential to supply on demand is Hydro, but UK terrain is not best suited to that on a scale that would meet demand, and can you imagine the objections to damming and flooding a large number of valleys across the country!
A mixture of generating sources looks to be the best safeguard to meet demand with the certainty that we will never go 'dark'.
The UK power network isn't robust enough to accommodate a huge number of additional feed in systems such as solar panels.
Daughter's school had solar installed on a sports hall. Over the sunniest months school is closed so excess energy to export. The system couldn't be connected for about 12 months because the local grid needed significant upgrade.
I'm finding the same with a local developer. Lots of solar panels on new industrial units which are due to be finished in July. As of last month the power company still wouldn't finalise the size of sub station they will install as they need to ensure the local grid can accommodste the anticipated level of feed in.
There are many acres of land which looks green which has previous indusrial use and will cost millions to clean up (in my local area two 'fields' are actually former tips) which could be used for solar panels.
We are having more and more solar panel farms being built around here, and we saw a lot of new ones being started in Norfolk. Personally, they are the most unsightly things ever, our fields are slowly disappearing, what with all the new houses being crammed in too that locals can’t even afford.
Quote: Originally posted by iank01 on 31/5/2024
Wind turbines are a blight on the countryside and this is made even worse with arrays of solar panels. IMHO both should be banned!
I take it from that Ian, you're not a fan.
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Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 31/5/2024
Maybe putting solar panels on all of those new houses, plus on public and commercial buildings, such as all those huge warehouses, would be a help.
New houses in Scotland cannot have a gas supply. They all have solar panels. Still need a grid connection & whole estates have been cancelled because the local grid has insufficient capacity for the heat pumps.
I was involved in public local inquiries into wind farms, many years ago. It costs £millions to get the Environmental Statement written for the application, more costs to go to PLI or a Hearing eg for KC’s legal fees.
The process starts with local and national policy. If the policy supports the proposal, it’ll probably get consent (possibly with adjustments). Have a look at your local Council’s development plan, it’ll be online.
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Topic: France generating power
via mobile 29/5/2024 at 5:41pm
