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American solar farms

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Re: American solar farms

#251

Post by onlyrealcuzzo »

bell-cot wrote: post #117

Speculation: The biggest reason for solar farms often being unpopular with locals is that, socially , they feel like dystopian giga-scale machines. Serving some far-away, unfriendly power. Utterly disinterested in the welfare, or even lives, of the local populace. Vs. almost any other business (farm, mine, oil drilling, warehouse, whatever) would both hire far more local people, and interact far more with the local c…

How is this different from >50% of farm land in the US growing corn for ethanol or corn or soy for export?

Re: American solar farms

#252

Post by ahmeneeroe-v2 »

whatisthiseven wrote: post #213
adabyron wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There seems to be a decent counter argument about the size & impact to local environment. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/massive-esmeralda-s... I do not have a side as I don't know enough.

I think every engineer knows that all things come with trade-offs. A great engineer, however, is able to readily admit when one option among others has a far, far greater set of costs than another, for the exact same benefit. And if said engineer can't decide (for claim of ignorance), they mature to learn that the experience and knowledge of others is the best source for understanding the trade-offs involved to make…

People in cities are voting that rural people should bear the cost of getting power to the cities.

Re: American solar farms

#253

Post by nocoiner »

lesuorac wrote: post #170
toomuchtodo wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Avoiding federal regulatory oversight. https://www.ferc.gov/introductory-guide-electricity-markets-... ("ERCOT is not subject to federal (FERC) jurisdiction because its grid is not connected to those of other states. Thus, power sales in ERCOT are not considered sales in interstate commerce and not subject to federal (FERC) oversight. That said, ERCOT runs some electricity markets that have similarities to those desc…

This has got to be more of FERC doesn't want to regulate ERCOT though no? > [1] In the 1939 case United States v. Rock Royal Co-op, the Supreme Court had included milk processed and sold entirely within the state of New York within the federal government's purview because the company used a mixture of raw milk from farms within and outside the state of New York. Like there's no way all of the energy in Texas only com…

Wickard v. Fillburn, the aggregate effects test - in the aggregate, growing your own corn affects interstate commerce, so therefore it is interstate commerce.

Re: American solar farms

#254

Post by adolph »

adabyron wrote: post #230
t1234s wrote: post #222

Solar panels == shade. Any companies deploying solar in this manner (parking lots, pedestrian trails, bus benches, etc..)

This gets proposed a lot. The reason it isn't more frequent is due to the cost of the structure to hold the panels & risks of people running into them. It would be great if these costs could come down. Parking lots, animal pastures & other areas could be protected & create energy at the same time.

Here is a large installation over surface parking at a VA medical center. I think it is just a matter of time before this becomes the standard everywhere.

Lat, Lon: 29.701864, -95.388646

https://maps.app.goo.gl/N7U4EmUVQsFG6gfZ8

Re: American solar farms

#255

Post by jojobas »

rmason wrote: post #223
t1234s wrote: post #222

Solar panels == shade. Any companies deploying solar in this manner (parking lots, pedestrian trails, bus benches, etc..)

Locally Michigan State is covering all their parking lots with solar panels. The added advantage is that since you're car is parked under them you don't have to clear the snow off. https://ipf.msu.edu/about/news/solar-carport-initiative-earn... But what I haven't figured out is if they have to broom them off after a snow or just wait until the sun melts it. By the time I am around in the afternoon time they are alway…

Unless it's borderline melting, brooming is not enough, you'd have to move the snow away or berms would form quickly.

Re: American solar farms

#256

Post by Forgeties79 »

fringol_ wrote: post #247
Forgeties79 wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand the point of contention should be that but sadly when we dig into these discussions it often becomes clear that’s not what it is actually about. So frankly, I won’t sit here and stand for this user saying these women aren’t women. They can talk about physical advantages/fairness in sports in good faith without erasing their identities and saying “it’s a fact that biology says they’re not women,” which is…

[flagged]

I already told you I am not continuing this discussion with you. Leave me alone please.

Re: American solar farms

#257

Post by wombatpm »

wingworks wrote: post #225
bluGill wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nuclear is a good candidate - they take up a lot less land mass for the amount of power generated. I used to leave near one, and when my neighbors where asked where it was most pointed instead to a coal power plant many miles away.

In theory I wouldn't mind living next to nuclear. I say in theory, because we've seen too many times when someone cuts corners, or has deadlines or poorly trained staff on site, that when things go wrong, they can sometimes go very very wrong.

I live within 10 miles of one which entitles me to annual evacuation instructions and a free iodine pill kit to keep at home in case of an accident. Other than that, we get great fishing in the cooling lakes.

Re: American solar farms

#259

Post by cyberax »

ourmandave wrote: post #12
paulnpace wrote: post #8

My experience has been that people living next to newly constructed solar farms are unhappy about living next to a solar farm. It is also my experience that this is a fringe opinion because a very low percentage of people live next to solar farms.

I had to google it and apparently the complaints are: Ruin the view, Lower property values, Habitat destruction, Noise from inverter fans

> Noise from inverter fans

Please. You won't hear it even a couple hundred meters away.

As for habitat destruction, wildlife _loves_ the shade under solar panels. So much that you need to be careful where you step because rattlesnakes also love (to eat) the wildlife.

Moreover, unlike mines and coal power plants, solar plants are mostly build-and-forget installations. They can be completely unmanned, with only occasional visits for maintenance and panel cleaning.

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