Plans revealed for massive solar farm near Lampeter

[Great In Grass]

PLANS have been revealed for a massive solar farm near Lampeter, sparking road safety and environmental fears.

Ceredigion council’s development control committee is set to discuss the plan for a 10mw solar panel on almost 17 hectares of agricultural land at Maes y Garn, Gorsgoch, Llanybydder, today (Wednesday, 11 May) with a recommendation that the scheme be refused permission.

But despite recommending refusal, officers have said that if changes are made to the areas of land that the solar panels would be placed on, it would be more likely to win backing.

An ecologist ruled that one of the fields included in the application was not suitable and, if it was approved, could lead to a significant habitat loss.

The planning report says: “Although as stated by the policy there is an overriding social, economic or environmental need for the development that outweighs the losses to biodiversity (after mitigation) the development can be reasonably located elsewhere.

“There is suitable land within the ownership of the applicant to the north that could be used instead of the identified field, and this is agricultural grade 4/5 and therefore suitable land for solar farms within the guidance.”

Credit: Cambrian News - Wednesday, 11 May 2016 By Antony Gedge in Local People

 

[multi power]

This must be a wind up
For solar you need sun, don't tend to get much of that in Lampeter
Wind or hydro would be more suitable options

 

[Johngee]

No I'd heard of this recently. Didn't realize it was going to be so big.

 

[Cowabunga]

In sunny Gorsgoch eh! Gorsgoch translates to Red Bog as it happens, but I'm sure it gets its share of daylight.

 

[Pasty]

That's not big. I've got 3 bigger than that within 10 minutes of me. Nothing against them.

 

[GTB]

Can't see a problem with it myself. We can't depend on coal and nuclear power for ever.

 

[Farfrae]

In sunny Gorsgoch eh! Gorsgoch translates to Red Bog as it happens, but I'm sure it gets its share of daylight.

Plenty of Poles living in Llanybydder to clean the panels though.

 

[Pasty]

Solar is probably the future. There are some pretty cool solutions to storing energy in giant batteries these days like molten salt or pumping water up and letting it down etc. If you look at the graphs, solar is exploding and nothing else is going anywhere pretty much.

 

[GTB]

There was a company interested in building one far bigger than that locally but AS USUAL they couldn't get a grid connection. It's about time the Govt got the infrastructure sorted!

 

[Cowabunga]

Plenty of Poles living in Llanybydder to clean the panels though.

Yes, someone will need the Poles on mops to reach it all.

 

[Barleycorn]

I thought that the solar bubble had burst?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

There a big Solar Farm at Whitland now, can't see the problem

 

[DRC]

90 acre one being built in the next village to us.

 

[Courier]

The bigger schemes are the way forward with the revised FITs.

On the wind side medium wind now includes up to 1.5 mWh whereas before it was only 500kWh.

 

[Still Farming]

Stable door and horse ??.

 

[Still Farming]

There a big Solar Farm at Whitland now, can't see the problem

The sad way Dairy gone is it maybe ?

 

[Pasty]

The fact is that solar is becoming the cheapest way to produce electricity, FITs or not. The average Joe has no idea of the billions that go into subbing nuclear and coal. All we hear is how much are added to our bills for solar and wind by these 'eco hippies'. It's nonsense. ALL electricity production is heavily subsidised so there is no argument there. The rate of exponential growth in solar is impressive and seems like an unstoppable train to me. That is a good thing for once. Once those panels are up and we learn how to store the power, which is crucial but possible, oil, coal and nuclear will be redundant within 24 hours. I'll bet the last half of my danish on it.

 

[Cardi]

Don't know what road safety issues it will cause. It will hardly be seen from any minor lanes, let alone major roads.

 

[Pasty]

Objectors will find any and every means to refuse. In the end it all looks a bit desperate.

 

[Goweresque]

The fact is that solar is becoming the cheapest way to produce electricity, FITs or not. The average Joe has no idea of the billions that go into subbing nuclear and coal. All we hear is how much are added to our bills for solar and wind by these 'eco hippies'. It's nonsense. ALL electricity production is heavily subsidised so there is no argument there. The rate of exponential growth in solar is impressive and seems like an unstoppable train to me. That is a good thing for once. Once those panels are up and we learn how to store the power, which is crucial but possible, oil, coal and nuclear will be redundant within 24 hours. I'll bet the last half of my danish on it.

A recent study has shown that solar panels in temperate zones (ie the UK) have a CO2 saving of less than one, ie they actually produce more CO2 in manufacturing, erection and maintenance than they save in electricity produced over a 25 year lifetime, when compared to the same amount of electricity generated by coal fired power stations. The calculation improves the more one moves towards the equator of course, but putting solar panels in a place with the climate of Wales has got to be somewhere near the 'stupid idea' end of the spectrum.

http://euanmearns.com/the-energy-return-of-solar-pv/