Fighting 'Solar Farm' Installation

[RB5]

I have not read this entire thread. I saw the 1000 acre solar farm they installed in Kaufman County in one of the remote areas of the county. I would not have wanted to live next to it. One thing I rarely see mentioned is how much the panels raise the tempurature as they collect this "free" energy. Any time you have a dark surface in the sun it heats up much more than the natural landscape. There is also less vegetation and tress, which reduces oxygen levels. So how green is solar really? I think solar is great when used on existing roof tops and large buildings, but not so much when you degrade the land to install it. Something else I have been told but not looked into. My tax guy told me that putting solar panels on your roof can raise you homeowners insurance rates. What would a good hail storm do to the panels? In Texas we sometimes see baseball size hail. That would make me very nervous every time there was a potential hail threat. Just a few thoughts...

 

[bvanek]

What would a good hail storm do to the panels? In Texas we sometimes see baseball size hail. That would make me very nervous every time there was a potential hail threat. Just a few thoughts...

Could be plenty of pitfalls yet discovered? Infrastructure the big one and land mass used is #2. See some untouched land, fill it up with metal and plastic.

So if you live in the north, less sunlight for longer periods and more cloudy days and with snow accumulation, when the sun comes out, quite reflective .....so I guess you could send the heat back out into the atmosphere? but then maybe your butt would get cold?.... I shoveled snow off my roof three times this year about a foot each time. Would have been impossible with solar panels. But then again I wouldn't have them in the first place.

They like to put these in remote areas out of their sight not caring too much about our view. I like remote living with trees and natural landscape all around.

How about lining the LA freeway with panels so all the electric cars can just pull over and hook up for free. May take them 3 or 4 days but they weren't going far anyway. With all those EV cars out of the way, ICE's will be king of the road (to go someplace else) and trucks will have the fast track to the stores so that the mob will never run out of things to steal.

 

[edgarrian]

I'm not telling you its doomsday. Assuming the words of a few represent all is not the way to go.

If they are not being good stewards of the land, that's because they are a bad company. It doesn't have anything to do with the panels or the turbines. Some coal and some Oil and Gas companies can be (and have been) bad stewards as well. They failed at preventing leaks and spills. They didn't prevent mining accidents.

I personally, have not made any of my statements based on wanting to reduce CO2 levels. I personally believe, along with some models, that our hard switch to NG from coal may have done enough to lower America's contribution to greenhouse gas levels. But having a variety of energy options, encouraging new industry, lowering energy dependence are all good reasons.

An EV isn't a good option for you, and not for many people. It isn't for me. But it is for a lot of people, especially fleet companies. I do disagree with how the EV industry has been marketed in the past and to who it has been marketed too. That is changing.

Well for the most part I agree although im still of the belief that climate change is irrelevant when it comes to humans doing it. Do i think anything catastrophic will come about. Absolutely not. We will still experience all that mother nature has to offer.

U are right about having a variety of energy is good but not in the way we are going about it. Its absurd what's taking place.

An EV could be a good option but not at that rate to charge at a charging station. Fleet companies will have to keep them local. Batteries are too expensive to replace. Cobalt is mined by children. Most of the precious metals are not in America. The countries that do have these precious metals for EVs, panels and so on are in fact already talking about forming a cartel. Just like OPEC has with Oil. So the theory of not using foreign energy is misguided.

Companies and Industries have had leaks, mistakes, outright neglect for profit. Its not just Oil and Gas Companies. I could go on and on about this little remark but I dont need to b/c you seem like you understand that its problem everywhere.

Green Energy is a problem thats burdening the tax payer along with other industries. The DOE is handing out billions to green energy with failures already stacking up

 

[OzarkChris]

... One thing I rarely see mentioned is how much the panels raise the tempurature as they collect this "free" energy.

Are you suggesting that Solar Panels are contributing to "Climate Change" and the poles melting? That's, that's Heresy! Climate denier!

 

[KilroyJC]

Are you suggesting that Solar Panels are contributing to "Climate Change" and the poles melting? That's, that's Heresy! Climate denier!

You forgot to add:

>clutches pearls<

 

[walhondingMF]

Ford‘s EV unit lost $772 million in the first quarter on Electric vehicles.

Yep. I think the EV situation in our country has been handled incorrectly. EV's have been pushed to and designed for a "higher class" of people (I'm below this level so please, no offense intended to anyone. I just can't come up with a better way to put it). If you want more EVs, there should be a long list of them in a much more affordable range. For the average commuter, an inexpensive EV would be a great option. Instead the closet thing they can get is at a minimum $40,000. Other countries that have numbers of EVs in use have a huge number of Ford Escort and Chevy Cavalier type cars.

I also think the trucks are fantastic for fleet type options. For the average American that owns a truck (assuming a lot of us on here) range and price limit it as an option. But for a company with a lot of trucks that are used in an expected driving range each day, they're great. The factor that can and is slowing this shift, IMO, is that all of these companies already have trucks. It would be bad business to just get rid of them all at once. One of the largest landscaping/mowing companies here has a fleet of trucks. Owner says he love the Ford Lightning as work trucks and will by them...once the trucks he already has are worn out.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

Could be plenty of pitfalls yet discovered? Infrastructure the big one and land mass used is #2. See some untouched land, fill it up with metal and plastic.

So if you live in the north, less sunlight for longer periods and more cloudy days and with snow accumulation, when the sun comes out, quite reflective .....so I guess you could send the heat back out into the atmosphere? but then maybe your butt would get cold?.... I shoveled snow off my roof three times this year about a foot each time. Would have been impossible with solar panels. But then again I wouldn't have them in the first place.

They like to put these in remote areas out of their sight not caring too much about our view. I like remote living with trees and natural landscape all around.

How about lining the LA freeway with panels so all the electric cars can just pull over and hook up for free. May take them 3 or 4 days but they weren't going far anyway. With all those EV cars out of the way, ICE's will be king of the road (to go someplace else) and trucks will have the fast track to the stores so that the mob will never run out of things to steal.

I used a roof rake to clear my roof of snow, not impossible at all for me...

 

[Hay Dude]

Yep. I think the EV situation in our country has been handled incorrectly. EV's have been pushed to and designed for a "higher class" of people (I'm below this level so please, no offense intended to anyone. I just can't come up with a better way to put it). If you want more EVs, there should be a long list of them in a much more affordable range. For the average commuter, an inexpensive EV would be a great option. Instead the closet thing they can get is at a minimum $40,000. Other countries that have numbers of EVs in use have a huge number of Ford Escort and Chevy Cavalier type cars.

I also think the trucks are fantastic for fleet type options. For the average American that owns a truck (assuming a lot of us on here) range and price limit it as an option. But for a company with a lot of trucks that are used in an expected driving range each day, they're great. The factor that can and is slowing this shift, IMO, is that all of these companies already have trucks. It would be bad business to just get rid of them all at once. One of the largest landscaping/mowing companies here has a fleet of trucks. Owner says he love the Ford Lightning as work trucks and will by them...once the trucks he already has are worn out.

50+ years ago entire city truck fleets and delivery truck fleets were electric.
They scrapped them all and went to gas/diesel.

My grandfather had a side hustle of scrapping Philadelphia electric mail trucks. He recycled the batteries and the aluminum bodies.

 

[walhondingMF]

Not sure how many people on here are into listening to podcasts. I am a big podcast guy. I am currently close to the end of listening to one on the Lex Fridman Podcast with a guy named Bjorn Lombrg and Andrew Revkin. Discussing many of the things we have discussed here. Both from semi-different perspectives and a lot experience on the topics. Something in it for everyone that has been involved in this discussion. I don't know how to link something like that but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to search for. It is long, but well worth the listen.

 

[Hay Dude]

Not sure how many people on here are into listening to podcasts. I am a big podcast guy. I am currently close to the end of listening to one on the Lex Fridman Podcast with a guy named Bjorn Lombrg and Andrew Revkin. Discussing many of the things we have discussed here. Both from semi-different perspectives and a lot experience on the topics. Something in it for everyone that has been involved in this discussion. I don't know how to link something like that but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to search for. It is long, but well worth the listen.

I listen to that sort of thing a lot. Many are pushing agendas.
However, I have come to trust my eyes and my instincts.
There’s a lot of nefarious activity out there disguised in virtue.