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No problem here for solar farms, we need to look to the future. We quite like the wind turbines, they’re rather majestic, had them near us in France.
Are wind farms as viable/profitable when built off shore, does anyone know?
Presumably not in the construction, but they are an alternative, presumably?
Would upset fewer people (Sorry, sea birds?)
choughdancer
I feel very strongly in favour of renewable energy, and have solar panels on my roof, but I can understand objections to them covering fields. We must have acres of roofs on ugly buildings on industrial parks, hypermarkets, factories, car parks, even airports all over the UK. Why can't they be used first?
Absolutely agree. They should plaster them all over the roofs before covering the green spaces, which are fast declining.
The only alternatives to renewable are nuclear and fracking. I think we have to go down the nuclear route as well as solar and wind because we must be self sufficient. Unfortunately this should have been done years ago.
Solar panels aren't pretty, but then, neither are power stations. At least the land under solar panels can be used for grazing, for crops or just for providing the conditions under which wildlife can thrive.
The scope for increasing the use of PV solar panels is huge, they can be fitted just about anywhere that they can access sufficient light to be productive, even floating on reservoirs. It is very shortsighted, almost criminal in an age when we need to be sharply reining back on our use of fossil fuels to provide energy, to be preventing their use.
It is especially shortsighted when we are seeing how vulnerable our energy supplies are to international events and we are facing a period of potential immense hardship for most of the population because of this vulnerability. This is one area in which we can indeed 'take back control'.
No problem with solar or wind farms ,have a massive issue with the nuclear deterrent being parked on our doorstep .Our new neighbour proudly told us he's the "man in charge of checking the bombs" not something to be proud of when millions of lives could be at risk from them .
I feel very strongly in favour of renewable energy, and have solar panels on my roof, but I can understand objections to them covering fields. We must have acres of roofs on ugly buildings on industrial parks, hypermarkets, factories, car parks, even airports all over the UK. Why can't they be used first?
Yes, I would object if there was a proposal for a solar farm on the fields directly behind my house. I’m being honest.
Several solar farms have been proposed in this county, there has been hundreds of objections from all over the world not just locally. One or two have fought successfully and are operating, there seems to be some kind of organised objection group not just nimbyism
There are also no wind turbines, neighbouring counties have then we do not, no special environmental reasons, they are jus not allowed
I live rurally, with fields all around, and people have often asked how I would feel if either wind or solar farms were proposed here. I have always replied that I would not really mind.
We need to harness that energy, and they have to go somewhere and, quite frankly, I don't find them particularly unsightly either, though in the case of wind turbines, I admit that I would not want them near enough to the house for the noise they can make to be a problem indoors.
I agree Whitewavemark2.
Amongst other things i could add.
P.S. ignore Truss, she is just a drip.
Frankly until technology comes up with an alternative, I don’t see we have a choice.
Solar panels are the way to go.
The following extract from a report in today's Guardian.
Solar farms are being refused planning permission in Great Britain at the highest rate in five years, analysis has found, with projects which would have cut £100m off annual electricity bills turned down in the past 18 months.
Planning permission for 23 solar farms was refused across England, Wales and Scotland between January 2021 and July 2022, which could have produced enough renewable energy to power an estimated 147,000 homes annually, according to analysis of government figures by the planning and development consultancy Turley.
The refusals have jumped significantly since the start of 2021 – the research found only four projects were refused planning permission during 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined.
Of the 27 declined solar farms between 2019 and 2022, 19 are in Conservative constituencies. Four were in Labour constituencies, three in Scottish National party constituencies, and one in a Liberal Democrat constituency.
There are fears such refusals could increase further as the Tory leadership contenders, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, have made disparaging comments about solar farms.
South-west and eastern England had the highest number of refusals in the last 18 months, with four projects turned down in each region. Wales, the West Midlands and Scotland each had three refusals, while the east Midlands, north-east and south-east of England each had two planning applications turned down.
Analysts at the thinktank Green Alliance said the rejected projects were large solar farms at an average of about 30MW each, which may account for the planning refusals as it is easier to get smaller farms approved.
However, it added that this should not be a reason to refuse planning permission, as larger solar farms could cut bills further.
It said the refused solar farms could have cut about £100m off Great Britain’s electricity bills this year.
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