Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Rural campaigners say the push to generate green energy through giant solar farms is having an unacceptable impact on Britain's rural landscape.

Developments like Burntstalks Solar Farm in Norfolk, which has nearly 50,000 photovoltaic panels and captures enough of the sun's rays to power nearly 4,000 homes, are heralded as a sensible solution to the UK's energy needs.

However, some claim the sites are yet another blot on the landscape and are ruining the countryside.

David Hook, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, told Sky News: "I think that if policy is not changed ... the industrialisation through solar farms and extra wind turbines is going to have a dramatic effect on the countryside, and a very negative effect."

It is only two years since the UK's first large scale sun park began generating electricity in Lincolnshire.

There are now nearly 160, mostly in rural areas, with a further 229 under construction or awaiting approval.

Lightsource Renewable Energy owns and operates dozens of solar farms, including Burntstalks, near King's Lynn.

Mark Turner, the company's operations director, said: "The balance we have to strike is between a solar farm that can generally only be seen by people very close up to it and usually by fleeting glimpses through hedgerows as you are driving along, versus potential wind farms or the other alternatives of non-renewables including nuclear power stations and coal-fired power stations.

"The amount of ground taken up by the farm is minimal and what we then try to do, as far as possible, is to use the land for dual use.

"We graze sheep or plant wild flowers, so the land is used for the kind of purpose it would be used for before the panels were here."

The Government has made it clear it backs the production of solar energy, which it hopes will eventually produce 20GW of energy every year - eight times more than at present and enough to power around six million homes.

Its priority is for panels to be put on brownfield sites and the roofs of factories, hospitals and houses but according to Mr Turner, that is not always possible.

"Finding roof tops that are owned by companies we can rely on to be there in the 25 years we need to return the investment is extremely difficult," he said.

"And finding brownfield sites that are sufficiently far enough south to generate enough electricity, are close enough to the grid and aren't dedicated to other purposes, is extremely difficult."

Do you think that the rural campaigners are right to protect the countryside byt objecting to this? Or do you see the panels (their placings as described above) as acceptable? Which looks worse: the panels/turbines or the pylons currently everywhere?

If the forecast given (above) can really be achieved, isn't this the way forward?



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/countryside...l?vp=1#JxPxODq

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Why these have to be in fields I cannot fathom, why not cover city roofs with them, they would capture the same amount of electricity and not be in anyone's way at all.

Having said that I don't think they are any more unsightly than fields of rape seed, or fleece covered fields or many other things the country side folks see as fine and acceptable.

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

We need energy, where are we supposed to get it from?
Nuclear energy, wind turbines, solar power, fracking, coal mines, all can be unsightly, and their campaigners against.

As Julie says, they are not that unsightly, can't be any worse than rows of poly tunnels in a field.

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

I suppose the problem is as solar power technology stands now masses of fields would have to be covered to completely satisfy a small town of it's energy requirements.

There is a place close to where I live that used to be a tramps place situated on top of a hill and covering quite a large area of ground. Industry took it over eventually and I notice now they have used a large part of the parking space as a solar power plant. I suppose they are powering their plant for free and maybe even making money with the surplus energy.

I have another friend who has installed solar power panels on his roof and receives regular cheques from the electricity board and again powers his house for nothing.

Both of the above seem a more sensible approach rather than blotting out huge areas of land. More localized efforts that go practically unnoticed.

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Fair point, but it probably comes down to the ease and cost of installation - having one large site instead of many small ones.

So what is wrong with fields of rapeseed? Do city folk not like the colour? If you want rapeseed oil for cooking etc.. where is it going to come from? Same with 'enviromesh' - it is used to protect crops from pests and frost so that city folk can buy quality vegetables in Sainsbugs etc.

We need energy and we need food, so why not harvest the sun as well as crops? There is the added bonus of being able to use ground not suitable for crops and not needing chemical fertilisers either!

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Never use the stuff myself, the smell from the fields is revolting, the increase in allergies and breathing problems is enormous and we seem to be planting it to the detriment of other crops. Used to love the linseed fields near us, corn and maize and wheat, now they are just covered with rape and it escapes into gardens and road side verges like a plague.

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

I don't have any problems with it myself, and rapeseed oil, being mono-saturated, is a fairly healthy procuct for cooking with. It's what I use. When it comes to being planted to the detriment of other crops - well, that's market prices and EU subsidies.

I could say similar things about barley up here. Just about every spare bit of ground is planted with barley (to support the whisky industry?) Field margins have disappeared and I expect that has been detrimental to wildlife (though I've seen no direct evidence)

So, what will we use the land for - Food or power? I know - the one which yields the bigger profit!

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Here's the REAL problem with renewable energy..

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Barley doesn't cause the allergies and breathing problems that rape does though so I see it as a different thing altogether.

Re: Countryside Fears Over Solar Energy Growth

Didn't the government, at one, offer subsidies to people who had panels and turbines put on their homes?

Was this the reason it was cancelled: