COVERING GOOD FOOD GROWING LAND WITH SOLAR PANELS?

bluebell

Member
seems very wrong to me, read that plans to build a very large solar farm covering a couple of thousands of acres north suffolk ,cambridgeshire area, what do others think ? i can see the point of covering large roofs such as warehouses or any roofs, i think that all this large scale new house building thats going on or will be built in the future should have to have solar panels built from new as law, but not surely on good arable land that we are loosing to development and have not much at all ?
 

snarling bee

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
IMG_4223[1].JPG

View of my farm from the bedroom window. Enough energy for 2500 houses.
Pays for this sort of thing:
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And this sort of thing:
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HarryB97

Member
Mixed Farmer
View attachment 948890
View of my farm from the bedroom window.
Pays for this sort of thing:
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And this sort of thing:View attachment 948893
Exactly it doesn't matter what other people think it's more important to think of your family, your life and the future of your business, and if that's by solar then crack on. It's the same as land for housing most people are jealous and bitter that they are not in a suitable location or have not gone out there and approached firms. I do agree though that new builds being built without things like panels on are missing a huge trick! I would love a Jag one day!
 

snarling bee

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Looking ahead,
What environmental problems will occur, as panels have an expected life span of 25 yrs, ish, and are classified as hazardous waste, when that time is up,
Already, know of a site less than 10 yrs old, that needs 500 panels replacing,
Just pushing our problems onto future generations,
I personally can't see solar parks being returned to agriculture. Why would they? It will be repowered and keep going. I see it as an asset for future generations rather than a liability, they will have the choice of owning it outright or renting it out again.
Solar panels usually keep going at an annual degradation rate of about 0.75%, so they will still be producing something in 40 years time, although recent estimates put the degradation at only 6% in 25 years.
Why are solar panels hazardous waste? They are now recyclable and classed as general waste in the UK. I'm sure they will be more easily recycled in the future.
 
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Frank-the-Wool

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Sussex
I do believe all of these solar farms should be set up so they can at least be grazed by sheep under the panels. It should also be a planning requirement.
Must be a win win for Co2 reduction that way.

We used to graze two of these, but they have now changed hands (we think to BP) and the new owners have stopped any grazing and now just mow under them.
 

bluebell

Member
i havnt any problem with what people do, with their land within the law of the country ? i just think that our leaders and the policies coming out of govt are contradicty , on one hand we have a small country thats getting more and more developed , the available land that can or could produce food shrinks daily ? yet more and more shouts is for land to be rewilded or just let go ? where is the long term planning in all this ?
 

Bald Rick

Moderator
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey

delilah

Member
I do believe all of these solar farms should be set up so they can at least be grazed by sheep under the panels. It should also be a planning requirement.
Must be a win win for Co2 reduction that way.

We used to graze two of these, but they have now changed hands (we think to BP) and the new owners have stopped any grazing and now just mow under them.

What grows under them ? Surely a certain square inch of land can only be hit by the ray of sunshine once, it's either hitting a solar panel or the earth ? Genuine question not being funny, never seen a solar farm in the flesh. We have a couple of roof systems, one making 12v the other into the grid, they both on roofs.
I agree with the OP they should be illegal on farmland. Windmills I like.
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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