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In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

theguardian.com

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Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#71

Post by recursive »

l5870uoo9y wrote: post #56

The absurdity of the climate debate is that “we” talk almost constantly about two energy sources (wind and solar) that in no way have the potential to provide the stable baseload power required to electrify society. And unless nature has blessed your country with abundant geothermal or hydroelectric power, that leaves you with the following options: oil, coal, or nuclear power.

Wind and solar can provide enough energy. You may be referring to their well-publicized variability. Energy storage can solve that.

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#72

Post by jmward01 »

We are at a moment where we are finding more and more ways to integrate solar in. It is likely we will go 'too far' in some ways but hopefully over the next few decades we will see a lot more well integrated solutions like vertical panels complementing farming and solar integrated, potentially with lower efficiency but also less impact, into things like building surfaces and other non-traditional places. Getting a diversity of options out there, and iterating on them, is key to the next phase where solar is everywhere reasonable by default and well integrated in to daily life.

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#73

Post by jmward01 »

SoftTalker wrote: post #14
darth_avocado wrote: post #13

This would’ve been a non issue if human beings worked together as a species, but we don’t. There is plenty of space on the planet where no one lives and nothing thrives that could be converted massive solar farms that power the planet.

Transmitting that energy from where nobody lives to where people do live becomes the problem with that.

I've been watching the math of batteries and cargo ships and we may not be too far from shipping electrons generated in the Sahara to the UK and Europe at a reasonable price. That totally changes the game if you have cargo ships moving to where the power will be needed. I can imagine these ships going to where the weather is predicted to cause an issue to help even out the grid and just in general creating a responsive base load for the world. It sounds like sci-fi, but with the direction batteries have gone it isn't that crazy anymore.

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#74

Post by simmerup »

danw1979 wrote: post #58

I took a stroll recently through the countryside around Swindon, UK, where there’s a massive new solar farm on formerly arable land. One thing I only just realised was how the view from the ground is so badly affected when you’re down amidst the endless rows of panels - they reach well above head height. It’s basically like walking through a industrial estate, just with more grass in between. Really very bleak. Give…

Climate change is an existential threat, it's switch to green power asap or burn the world our kids will live in

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#75

Post by dylan604 »

Animats wrote: post #60
danw1979 wrote: post #58

I took a stroll recently through the countryside around Swindon, UK, where there’s a massive new solar farm on formerly arable land. One thing I only just realised was how the view from the ground is so badly affected when you’re down amidst the endless rows of panels - they reach well above head height. It’s basically like walking through a industrial estate, just with more grass in between. Really very bleak. Give…

Needs a beauty strip of trees around the panels.

Yeah, 'cause shade is precisely what's needed for a solar farm

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#76

Post by pjc50 »

danw1979 wrote: post #58

I took a stroll recently through the countryside around Swindon, UK, where there’s a massive new solar farm on formerly arable land. One thing I only just realised was how the view from the ground is so badly affected when you’re down amidst the endless rows of panels - they reach well above head height. It’s basically like walking through a industrial estate, just with more grass in between. Really very bleak. Give…

How much extra on your electricity bill are you prepared to pay to not see it?

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#77

Post by carefree-bob »

simmerup wrote: post #74
danw1979 wrote: post #58

I took a stroll recently through the countryside around Swindon, UK, where there’s a massive new solar farm on formerly arable land. One thing I only just realised was how the view from the ground is so badly affected when you’re down amidst the endless rows of panels - they reach well above head height. It’s basically like walking through a industrial estate, just with more grass in between. Really very bleak. Give…

Climate change is an existential threat, it's switch to green power asap or burn the world our kids will live in

[flagged]

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#78

Post by swsieber »

dylan604 wrote: post #75
Animats wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Needs a beauty strip of trees around the panels.

Yeah, 'cause shade is precisely what's needed for a solar farm

Around, not over. Trees are a well studied thing where can you pick different species for different characteristics, like height, and growth speed.

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#79

Post by t-writescode »

littlestymaar wrote: post #67
detourdog wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In New England it works fine and we project 3 hours of production during the winter months. Not sure what Denmark’s latitude is, but 7 hours of production is not needed.

New England is Spain in terms of latitude. Americans tend to forget how far north Europe is compared to the US.

Great Britain, even more North, has viable solar on its Southern edge.

Re: In Denmark, the spread of solar panels has become a divisive issue

#80

Post by ninalanyon »

SoftTalker wrote: post #11

Denmark is a poor location for solar. They are pretty far north and don't have a lot of sunny days that are good for solar generation. When they do, those peaks drive energy prices negative. From the article: Over the next 10 years, the official expectation is a very large rise in the amount of solar produced. But that kind of clashes with the reality on the ground – they can’t make money

Latitude is not everything. Oslo, which is further north than all of Denmark gets more insolation than Hamburg, which is further south than all of Denmark.

And don't forget that storage is getting cheaper so it will get more and more practical to save a some of that midday solar energy to be used in the evening.

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