Are any of you guilty of nimbyism - objecting to solar farms?

Rees Mogg's appointment is dangerous for our response to climate change

www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/architects-declare-warns-rees-mogg-appointment-is-dangerous-radical-madness

varian

It is not true that solar thermal panels only work in hot weather. The light shining on the panels heats the water in the panels even in the winter.

A few solar thermal panels on the roof can produce all the hot water you need during the summer and also make a useful contribution to heating the water in the winter.

Perhaps I should have said "work efficiently". However, I did read several articles which all said that they needed the warmer weather to be a worthwhile investment.

It is not true that solar thermal panels only work in hot weather. The light shining on the panels heats the water in the panels even in the winter.

A few solar thermal panels on the roof can produce all the hot water you need during the summer and also make a useful contribution to heating the water in the winter.

Yes

Thank you, Muse for explaining. Somewhere between writing my post and pressing the post message button, I managed to completely lose the explanation about the two systems without noticing.

Solar thermal panels only give you hot water. Water runs through them, heats up and feeds into a solar thermal tank (cylinder). Water is for washing etc. and not for heating the home because it can't produce enough during the winter months.

I don't know. Mine can heat the water a little in the winter if there's sufficient sunlight.

We have them connected to a thermal store, which is like a big super insulated cylinder in which the water can be heated from any heat source, we have the oil boiler and the woodburner connected to it as well. The water for hot water and for the heating passes through separate coils in the tank and the hot water in the tank heats the water as it passes through the coils. It cuts down our oil usage.

Now I know what solar thermal is I won't be confused again

icanhandthemback

MaizieD

icanhandthemback

MaizieD

What are 'solar thermal panels' please? Are they the electricity producing panels that I know as solar photovoltaic panels?

That's what I believe them to be.

Thanks. I get a bit confused over the terminology.

So your device uses the excess electricity your panel produces to heat the immersion heating device in your tank. Clever...

I'm wrong. There appears to be about £1000 difference between the two technologies. However, Thermal Panels only work in the hotter weather whereas PV Panels work all the year round. Thermal Panels need replacing twice as quickly as PV so although the initial outlay is better, they actually work out more expensive.

The two are very different.

Solar thermal panels only give you hot water. Water runs through them, heats up and feeds into a solar thermal tank (cylinder). Water is for washing etc. and not for heating the home because it can't produce enough during the winter months.

PV (Photovoltaic) panels give you power/energy. These need inverters and storage. Many refer to these as solar panels.

We have both for our new home. PV on the ground (12 panels, inverter, programmer and batteries). New home has 2 solar thermal panels on the roof + a 3000 ltr storage tank.

MaizieD

icanhandthemback

MaizieD

What are 'solar thermal panels' please? Are they the electricity producing panels that I know as solar photovoltaic panels?

That's what I believe them to be.

Thanks. I get a bit confused over the terminology.

So your device uses the excess electricity your panel produces to heat the immersion heating device in your tank. Clever...

I'm wrong. There appears to be about £1000 difference between the two technologies. However, Thermal Panels only work in the hotter weather whereas PV Panels work all the year round. Thermal Panels need replacing twice as quickly as PV so although the initial outlay is better, they actually work out more expensive.

icanhandthemback

MaizieD

What are 'solar thermal panels' please? Are they the electricity producing panels that I know as solar photovoltaic panels?

That's what I believe them to be.

Thanks. I get a bit confused over the terminology.

So your device uses the excess electricity your panel produces to heat the immersion heating device in your tank. Clever...

MaizieD

What are 'solar thermal panels' please? Are they the electricity producing panels that I know as solar photovoltaic panels?

That's what I believe them to be.

What are 'solar thermal panels' please? Are they the electricity producing panels that I know as solar photovoltaic panels?

Dinahmo

I'm aware that you can have both but think that it is probably cheaper to have just the solar thermal power and this might help people in the short term.

We only have Solar Thermal Panels, not Solar Water Panels, and I don't quite know how it works but the unused solar energy runs the immersion tank so the gas central heating uses less power to heat it. It only cost a couple of hundred pounds to add it to our Solar Thermal Panels but has been a game changer. We had our Solar Panels fitted some time ago and new technologies are getting better all the time.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62677534

Why nuclear power is a really bad idea.

We have a solar water panel, installed about 10 /15 years ago. Yes, it did need a new tank but it included pipe work to heat the water by both the oil central heating boiler and the woodburner, which is also connected to the heating and hot water systems. Sometimes in the summer we can go for weeks on just the solar panel alone. The other heat sources see us through the winter.

I realise that this is not a practical solution for may people, but I do think that all new builds should incorporate both types of solar panels. I wonder if it is the energy firms who might be obstructing this. After all, it would mean a fall in their profits if everyone had their own source of free energy...

I'm aware that you can have both but think that it is probably cheaper to have just the solar thermal power and this might help people in the short term.

Dinahmo, we have a system where any unused solar power is used to heat our water. It cost a little bit extra but was well worth the money. We could also have had something fitted where the panels would work independently which would have generated even more power. At the moment they only work as a group but we get a good amount of solar power even so.

It seems to me that we should have a variety of methods for harnessing energy. Unlike water, electricity can be transported across the country through the existing networks. Solar panels should be retro fixed to commercial and industrial buildings and car parks wherever possible even if for the sole use of the individual premises.

Historically people used windmills and tide mills to provide energy and we should do so again.

I had a vague recollection that in Australia there is a different system for solar heating but couldn't find the information.However, I did see that by 2014 14% of Australian houses were fitted with solar thermal power systems. They don't figure in many discussions of energy saving because they don't produce electricity.In Australia they estimate that the use of solar thermal power saves up to 80% of energy costs for water heating.

In order to use solar thermal power I think that it would be necessary to change an existing hot water tank and the new one would have to include an immersion heater for use in winter. But, whilst one cannot store electricity easily at the moment, it is possible to store hot water.

When our house was designed we requested an hot water tank that could be fitted with the necessary equipment but it didn't happen and we didn't find out until it was too late. We have a large cylinder which would be expensive to replace so the plan is on hold for the moment.

volver

Call there is a faction who think that Tesla (the physicist, not the car company ) came up with a way of harnessing energy that would cost nothing and would be never ending. They also think that the elite used it to go to Mars and that we are not allowed to know about it because they are keeping it for themselves.

Must say, I'm not convinced. ?

He was hundreds of years ahead of his time then!

No-one has managed it yet. I do remember discussions about the possibility some kind of new energy being used for space flight (vaguely).

Perhaps they got to Mars but couldn't get back again, that's why all went quiet ?

EEJit

My issue with solar farms is that they can replace agricultural land.

We are an island nation, I don't understand we we don't invest in tidal power.

They can be reclaimed though whereas unprofitable agricultural land has hours built on so it is unlikely to ever be brought back into agricultural use.

Call there is a faction who think that Tesla (the physicist, not the car company ) came up with a way of harnessing energy that would cost nothing and would be never ending. They also think that the elite used it to go to Mars and that we are not allowed to know about it because they are keeping it for themselves.

Must say, I'm not convinced. ?

Katie59

feelmorethanfine.eu › tr-3b-the-free-energy-device-that-powers-that-is-the-size-of-a-shoe-box

Nikolai Tesla not Elon Musk

He died 60 years ago

There are/were plans for one 5 minutes down the road from me. The short straggle of houses opposite all had posters on their fronts objecting to it and I’m not sure where the plans are at the moment. Someone pointed out the site to me and it was completely obscured from view by a magnificent hedge.
I genuinely can’t understand their objections.

Free energy from a device the size of a shoe box?

More chance of a visitation from the archangel Michael.

First Law of Thermodynamics.

feelmorethanfine.eu/tr-3b-the-free-energy-device-that-powers-that-is-the-size-of-a-shoe-box-from-nikola-tesla/

And where does the archangel Michael come into it?