3 ms·

Oh I’m not saying for a second it shouldn't be done. The main issue here is a combination NIMBY and misaligned incentives. Quite right you can graze sheep (and

Oh I’m not saying for a second it shouldn't be done. The main issue here is a combination NIMBY and misaligned incentives. Quite right you can graze sheep (and other cattle) under solar. You cannot grow crops though, which is what I was suggesting by “agricultural” land, should have made that more clear. I live about two miles from what is proposed to be the UKs largest solar farm [0], I believe it will be 8.7x the size of the next largest by area [1]. The local community largely don’t want it [2], personally I would not be unhappy if it happed. However I can see and understand the arguments about placing it on such fertile land that should be used for growing crops - their main argument against it. But there is also a NIMBY sentiment too. There are good reasons for placing it in that location, there is a significantly large substation there and it’s either side of a major railway line. The point is, we in the UK need to be growing as much of our own food as possible. Solar is a potential threat to that under the current incentives. The government absolutely should be incentivising solar but in other locations, all that you have listed, but currently farmers can get a better return from solar than crops. 0: https://www.mallardpasssolar.co.uk/ https://www.mallardpasssolar.co.uk/ 1: https://www.deegesolar.co.uk/uks_biggest_solar_farms/ https://www.deegesolar.co.uk/uks_biggest_solar_farms/ 2: https://www.mallardpassactiongroup.com/ https://www.mallardpassactiongroup.com/ See also: https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/amp/aerial-video-shows-incredible-scale-of-solar-farm-9236563/ https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/amp/aerial-video-show... https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/amp/clock-is-ticking-on-solar-farm-views-9230167/ https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/amp/clock-is-ticking-...

ncmncm 5y ago
You can, in fact, grow crops under solar. And they yield more that way. The panels do not cover every square inch of farm; 50% is common. Most plants, including the most productive crops, will only do a certain maximum of photosynthesis in a day; insolation after that just adds heat stress.
- samwillis 5y ago
  It can be done, but its not currently and there is legitimate problems with it due to the logistics of existing farm machinery. For example the structure required to position solar panels in a way that would enable existing combine harvesters or sprayers to continue to work is unlikely to be feasible. It would be a different way of farming, back towards smaller machinery. So it may be possible but I don't see it happing without massive government incentives and maybe more automation. Fully support it if it can be made to work, but I'm sceptical.
  - ncmncm 5y ago
    The problems to solve are all in the realm of mechanical and small-scale civil engineering, the sort we have been used to solving for a century or two, routinely. Certainly pasture and row crops most easily coexist with elevated solar, but there is a lot of pasture. The yield benefits for row crops are attractive, though. In water-stressed areas, the reduced irrigation need might be the main benefit, but they all add up.

ncmncm 5y ago

You can, in fact, grow crops under solar. And they yield more that way. The panels do not cover every square inch of farm; 50% is common. Most plants, including the most productive crops, will only do a certain maximum of photosynthesis in a day; insolation after that just adds heat stress.

samwillis 5y ago
It can be done, but its not currently and there is legitimate problems with it due to the logistics of existing farm machinery. For example the structure required to position solar panels in a way that would enable existing combine harvesters or sprayers to continue to work is unlikely to be feasible. It would be a different way of farming, back towards smaller machinery. So it may be possible but I don't see it happing without massive government incentives and maybe more automation. Fully support it if it can be made to work, but I'm sceptical.
- ncmncm 5y ago
  The problems to solve are all in the realm of mechanical and small-scale civil engineering, the sort we have been used to solving for a century or two, routinely. Certainly pasture and row crops most easily coexist with elevated solar, but there is a lot of pasture. The yield benefits for row crops are attractive, though. In water-stressed areas, the reduced irrigation need might be the main benefit, but they all add up.