Thoughts on mega wind and solar projects

[MossRoad]

Food for Thought -

https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/solar-panel-plague-or-progress-controversy-explodes-farmland-disappears

From that article....

“Our area in Richland has gorgeous nature with abundant deer, ospreys, bald eagles, cranes, and you name it. We’re also a wonderful agriculture community, and it’s all the bigger shame because prime farmland is what they’re using for this solar project.”

I've never seen gorgeous nature in a mono-crop corn, bean, wheat or rice field. If anything, I've seen farmers complaining about deer eating their crops.

 

[gsganzer]

When I was looking to buy a place near Tishomingo, OK, they had a number of solar projects going in.

A drive around the local area showed most of the farmland to be fallow. Even cattle grazing was minimal. It's a relatively economically depressed area though.

I ended up backing out of the place I was looking at, partly due to the solar farms, but mainly due to the socio/economic reality of the area. If it's not solar farms, it will be data centers or whatever else provides income and tax base for that county.

 

[edgarrian]

When I was looking to buy a place near Tishomingo, OK, they had a number of solar projects going in.

A drive around the local area showed most of the farmland to be fallow. Even cattle grazing was minimal. It's a relatively economically depressed area though.

I ended up backing out of the place I was looking at, partly due to the solar farms, but mainly due to the socio/economic reality of the area. If it's not solar farms, it will be data centers or whatever else provides income and tax base for that county.

Sad truth.

 

[walhondingMF]

Until there is no productive farmland left and its all owned by the super wealthy or China. Owning rural property has become one of the biggest investment options for those with the means to. Regardless of what they plan to do with it, I believe it just part of the greater plan to get their hands on more so everyone else has less. The poor are easy to prey on.

 

[Duds13]

The solar farms being built in rural NY are absolutely disgusting. So much corruption behind them.

 

[ponytug]

The solar farms being built in rural NY are absolutely disgusting. So much corruption behind them.

Got any links to that?

 

[Duds13]

Got any links to that?

There's plenty with an interweb search. Search NYS ORES corruption, and also look up the work Alexandra Fasulo is doing

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Possibility of a new gas-fired power plant in West Texas to feed data centers. Would be one of the largest in the United States. Electricity wouldn't be sent to the commercial grid so it shouldn't impact consumers. I don't doubt that it will be built. Lots of new pipelines being put in the ground to carry the natural gas from our wells in West Texas.

Chevron and Microsoft Team Up for Giant Texas Gas Power Plant | OilPrice.com

Every gas well requires its own pipeline.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

From that article....

“Our area in Richland has gorgeous nature with abundant deer, ospreys, bald eagles, cranes, and you name it. We’re also a wonderful agriculture community, and it’s all the bigger shame because prime farmland is what they’re using for this solar project.”

I've never seen gorgeous nature in a mono-crop corn, bean, wheat or rice field. If anything, I've seen farmers complaining about deer eating their crops.

If you live where there are no hills, I suppose farm land may be the only place to put solar. In that case, wind turbines would preserve ag land. Where I live, there is plenty of south facing 100% slope waste land for a century of solar project expansion. East of the mountains there are millions of acres of desert.

 

[Duds13]

NYS is also looking to expand to floating solar farms on reservoirs and lakes. These people are f'n lunatics

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4571/amendment/A

 

[gsganzer]

I can't think of a more expensive and least reliable place to put a solar or wind farm, then out at sea or over water.

The exception is covering water canals with solar where it serves a dual purpose and is essentially land based anyway.

 

[edgarrian]

The industry will stick them anywhere to get that subsidy money

 

[hoozie]

“Giant solar panels mean prime farmland gone forever and the ruin of rural life, not to mention a potential environmental mess,”

and suddenly our landscape is permanently destroyed.

If they want to see an actual environmental mess, and something permanently destroyed, they should go look at a coal mine or tailings pond Fences and cement bases can be removed. Takes some work, but no big deal.

If they plan ahead, they can still use the ground beneath the panels for agriculture. Agrivoltaics - Wikipedia

So much FUD in that article

fwiw, a group was looking at putting in ~100 acres of panels adjacent to us, and use a strip of our property to get the power lines to the grid. We were all for it.

 

[edgarrian]

If they want to see an actual environmental mess, and something permanently destroyed, they should go look at a coal mine or tailings pond Fences and cement bases can be removed. Takes some work, but no big deal.

If they plan ahead, they can still use the ground beneath the panels for agriculture. Agrivoltaics - Wikipedia

So much FUD in that article

fwiw, a group was looking at putting in ~100 acres of panels adjacent to us, and use a strip of our property to get the power lines to the grid. We were all for it.

Coal has to reclaim the property once its done.

solar sure. when its done you could easily return it back however i would want a few different companies to make sure the soil was not contaminated

wind would be much more expensive and difficult. the concrete pillars are roughly 30ft in the ground. with several runs of rebar for strength. its not likely any farmer would take on that task b/c of expense.

in my county we have small acreage solar like you are referring to. Its the thousands of acres is the problem

 

[Hay Dude]

Why not put solar panels atop huge corporate centers, Walmarts, schools, big city buildings, airports, etc. and leave the agriculture land in its’ natural state of beauty?

Do people in fly-over country have to pay the price and make the sacrifice for every squirrely faculty lounge professor’s fantasies?

 

[gsganzer]

I always though parking lots would be a natural place to cover with solar panels. Until you realize that people have a hard enough time driving through an unobstructed parking lot, without hitting something. Can you imagine if there were poles supporting overhead solar panels?

 

[dodge man]

Coal mines have to do reclamation now. They didn’t used to. There is plenty of evidence of that in some counties just east of here in Western Illinois. I’m not against coal mining but it has a much worse environmental impact in my opinion.

 

[Duds13]

Who is actually benefitting from these solar farms that are being constructed on old farm land? I've yet to hear one person say "WOW, my electric bill went down X percent thanks to the new solar farm!" Here in NY, electric bills have gone through the roof.

 

[rontaki]

I always though parking lots would be a natural place to cover with solar panels. Until you realize that people have a hard enough time driving through an unobstructed parking lot, without hitting something. Can you imagine if there were poles supporting overhead solar panels?

I'd say to make the structure sturdy enough to take the hit without major damage. Those unable to safely navigate parking lots would be educated as to driving safely, or removed from the driving pool. Two birds, one stone.

 

[Phil Timmons]

I can't think of a more expensive and least reliable place to put a solar or wind farm, then out at sea or over water.

The exception is covering water canals with solar where it serves a dual purpose and is essentially land based anyway.

Floating Solar can install cheap and easy -- launch and recover from a shore access point.

Floating on otherwise parked water has a couple of bonus features -- as a floatation bearing surface, they can rotate easily East to West to track the long Summer day, especially in Northern latitudes. And water helps keep things cool. On the other hand -- Winter and Freezing aint so great.

Another appealing feature for Hydro-Dam sites -- water is generally rather calm above the Dam, and if already a generation site -- there is easy Grid Access.

Have looked at some designs for Big Wind on a tanker style mount. To cut loose and let drift / sail / anchor in High Wind areas. Intent was capture / store Hydrogen in the tanker, and recover when full. But not much market for the Hydrogen.