Choice: food or solar fields

[Mtsoxfan]

Guess of there is an acute food shortage, you can always eat a solar panel but don't have a clue how to prepare it for consumption.

I don't grow food on my roof anyway. Haters gonna hate...

 

[5030]

I don't grow food on my roof anyway. Haters gonna hate...

You might grow moss in the eavestroughs......lol

Certainly not a 'hater' as you say. That word is used out of context today to describe any opinion that does not agree with the posted view. Not solar pro or con. Just middle of the road on it.

Pretty ignorant comment on your part.

 

[Raul-02]

Odd that you would set up that system and after payoff you decide to move. Are you going to do the same thing at your current residence?

Nothing odd about wanting to be out of Connecticut.

 

[Oaktree]

People who are pro-solar or pro-wind should be first in line to offer-up their back yard or rooftop.
Also weary of city types pushing their green agenda solar panels & wind mills on fly-over country people.
Its always “Their ideas & our inconvenience”.

Dude, we get it. You don't like solar or wind power. Then don't put it on your property. Not sure how someone else having them inconveniences you.
As others have noted, both make more sense in some parts of the country than others.

You're in Pa. right? How 'bout those coal mines? Ugly, polluting, and one has been burning underground for the last 60 years. Real good for the environment.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Dude, we get it. You don't like solar or wind power. Then don't put it on your property. Not sure how someone else having them inconveniences you.
As others have noted, both make more sense in some parts of the country than others.

You're in Pa. right? How 'bout those coal mines? Ugly, polluting, and one has been burning underground for the last 60 years. Real good for the environment.

About coal. My cousin owns foundries that make steel by burning coal. He says every day he gets calls from people complaining about smoke from smokestacks. He explains that it's steam after all the scrubbers they use nothing polluting comes out of the stacks.
America could be 100% pollution free...but how about China, India, etc.?
Somehow people actually believe going electric is "clean", not understanding HOW most electricity is produced nor the pollution created by manufacturing cars, batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

This may be taken the wrong way, but I went solar to be more independent. It provided that for me. I don't get into discussions about green and pollution and such. I do my part to make less of a carbon footprint, but know that whatever I do really won't make a difference. I pick up some trash while hiking, kayaking etc. but it always comes back. I still feel good about it. Do I know just how dirty making solar panels is? I have a clue, but in all honesty, I don't care. I do what I can, but am aware of how insignificant it is in the big picture.
I also find usually those with money are the ones who poo poo solar and wind power. I understand some don't like the look, or at least not in their backyard.
For someone who doesn't care either way on solar and wind, some have a lot of negative opinions on them.

 

[PuffyC]

This may be taken the wrong way, but I went solar to be more independent. It provided that for me. I don't get into discussions about green and pollution and such. I do my part to make less of a carbon footprint, but know that whatever I do really won't make a difference. I pick up some trash while hiking, kayaking etc. but it always comes back. I still feel good about it.

That's kinda been my argument too, and I think there are just as many people doing it to save money as there are to save the planet. You see people just like that all across this forum. Solar means no more reliance on the whims of a bureaucratic monopoly and inflationary energy markets. It means living an independent life off the grid and at the end of the day it means saving money. Maybe it's a good fit for you and maybe it isn't, just don't get caught up in the politics and feel compelled to take a side because you want to root for your team (or against the other). This is one where both sides can get what they want if they're smart about it.

 

[Egon]

Might work there but here, I doubt it. For one thing, all solar installations around here are much, much lower to the ground which shades the soil and produces nothing but hardy weeds. They install them that way so workers can easily reach them if necessary but also eliminates growing anything (but weeds) below the panels.

Certainly could not propagate corn or wheat or soy beans under them because they all require mechanized planting, cultivation and harvesting and corn especially grows way to high to fit.... You could maybe (and I say maybe) truck farm below them but it would have to be 100% manual planting, cultivation and harvest with either human input or very small machines, not of that is feasible on a commercial scale here. If you really desire a solar array, put them on a roof top or in a parking lot or on land not suitable for growing food crops. Finally, they aren't solar 'farms'. In reality they are all industrial installations.

Personally, I have no issue with any of it (solar/wind/geo-thermal), just place all of it on non productive land, nit on prime ag ground. To me, roof tops or asphalt parking lots or any non crop producing ground would seem to be ideal. Like I said elsewhere, none of the ground I own will ever be covered with solar panels because it's all prime ag ground.

As time progresses thing do change.

 

[Hay Dude]

Dude, we get it. You don't like solar or wind power. Then don't put it on your property. Not sure how someone else having them inconveniences you.
1. As others have noted, both make more sense in some parts of the country than others.

2. You're in Pa. right? How 'bout those coal mines? Ugly, polluting, and one has been burning underground for the last 60 years. Real good for the environment.

1. Actually, I was the one who noted that.

2. Show where I support coal. I never have.

Maybe read what I actually said, instead of starting you own “fake news”.

 

[Hay Dude]

About coal. My cousin owns foundries that make steel by burning coal. He says every day he gets calls from people complaining about smoke from smokestacks. He explains that it's steam after all the scrubbers they use nothing polluting comes out of the stacks.
America could be 100% pollution free...but how about China, India, etc.?
Somehow people actually believe going electric is "clean", not understanding HOW most electricity is produced nor the pollution created by manufacturing cars, batteries, solar panels, wind turbines, etc.

When you try to explain that to the enviromentalists, they stick their fingers in their ears and chant “neener, neener, neener“