Proposed Solar Farm by the canal at Bascote

[WendyB]

TGC Renewables Ltd are holding a public consultation on Monday 23rd March from 3pm to 7pm at Long Itchington Community Centre, Stockton Road, Long Itchington regarding their proposal to site a solar farm on land either side of the Bascote Road, Bascote, heading towards Long Itchington. This land borders the canal on either side of the bridge (Bascote bridge no 27) it is also at the top of a hill therefore being visible from many local sites, homes, walks, but especially the canal. A few local people have got together to raise awareness of this, whilst we are not opposed to solar energy we firmly believe that solar farms do not belong in highly visible rural areas. We have a facebook page with information on and more being added daily https://www.facebook.com/stopBascotesolar?fref=nf

 

[Ray T]

Probably a naive comment, but less obtrusive than a wind farm?

[tree monkey]

TGC Renewables Ltd are holding a public consultation on Monday 23rd March from 3pm to 7pm at Long Itchington Community Centre, Stockton Road, Long Itchington regarding their proposal to site a solar farm on land either side of the Bascote Road, Bascote, heading towards Long Itchington. This land borders the canal on either side of the bridge (Bascote bridge no 27) it is also at the top of a hill therefore being visible from many local sites, homes, walks, but especially the canal. A few local people have got together to raise awareness of this, whilst we are not opposed to solar energy we firmly believe that solar farms do not belong in highly visible rural areas. We have a facebook page with information on and more being added daily https://www.facebook.com/stopBascotesolar?fref=nf

 

sorry i see no real issues with this

[MtB]

Nor me. I think solar farms are an excellent idea.

 

The main issue is whether the land should be used for growing food instead, but I think power is an equal need here in the UK.

[tree monkey]

Nor me. I think solar farms are an excellent idea.

 

The main issue is whether the land should be used for growing food instead, but I think power is an equal need here in the UK.

yes this is my only concern too but i don't think this will stop sheep grazing in and around the panels

[mrsmelly]

Nor me. I think solar farms are an excellent idea.

 

The main issue is whether the land should be used for growing food instead, but I think power is an equal need here in the UK.

 

Completely agree with this post. I actualy think they look nice ( I am weird ) I would far rather see them than flippin cooling towers and I am sorry to say they are a necesary evil in todays power hungry world. I also luv wind farms.

I suppose this will be the usual NIMBY rant.

 

Tim

Edited March 20, 2015 by mrsmelly

[tree monkey]

 

Completely agree with this post. I actualy think they look nice ( I am weird ) I would far rather see them than flippin cooling towers and I am sorry to say they are a necesary evil in todays power hungry world.

I suppose this will be the usual NIMBY rant.

 

Tim

not as weird as i am, i love wind turbines, i honestly think they are beautiful, mind you i also think cooling towers are lovely in an industrial sorta way

[mrsmelly]

TGC Renewables Ltd are holding a public consultation on Monday 23rd March from 3pm to 7pm at Long Itchington Community Centre, Stockton Road, Long Itchington regarding their proposal to site a solar farm on land either side of the Bascote Road, Bascote, heading towards Long Itchington. This land borders the canal on either side of the bridge (Bascote bridge no 27) it is also at the top of a hill therefore being visible from many local sites, homes, walks, but especially the canal. A few local people have got together to raise awareness of this, whilst we are not opposed to solar energy we firmly believe that solar farms do not belong in highly visible rural areas. We have a facebook page with information on and more being added daily https://www.facebook.com/stopBascotesolar?fref=nf

 

 

Hi

 

What is " Facebook? "

 

Tim

[b0atman]

As long as wind turbines are generating all the time and these solar fields are feeding into the grid then yes I am all for them.

BUT why are so many not in use.

[Pete & Helen]

I went down to Cornwall last weekend and saw a number of these solar farms and they are not an eyesore at all as far as I am concerned. They are low down and con be easily screened from the view of most passers-by simply with a low hedge. I also saw a lot of wind turbines in the same area and they stand out like a saw thumb, and because they are moving they distract the eye.

[Ray T]

As long as wind turbines are generating all the time and these solar fields are feeding into the grid then yes I am all for them.

BUT why are so many not in use.

 

Possible cause?

 

[zenataomm]

Solar Turbines springing up all over the place with nothing more than Planning Permission granted after public consultation.

Horrendous I call it.

 

What is this country coming to?

Don't we ever learn from the past?

 

If you look into History then you'll discover awful things were done after merely granting an act of parliament. Farmers' fields were taken over in order to cut man made waterways through.

Beautiful hillsides disfigured with ugly flights of locks, dirty great spoil heaps made from gouging out tunnels.

Will we never learn?

[matty40s]

yes this is my only concern too but i don't think this will stop sheep grazing in and around the panels

And subsequently Welsh people gaining a healthy interest in the solar farm by products......

Hi

 

What is " Facebook? "

 

Tim

You know when you have had a few Theakstons and get home and pick a book up to read.....and 15 minutes later you have......

[kazbluesky]

 

Possible cause?

 

 

 

Very green.

[pearley]

Nor me. I think solar farms are an excellent idea.

 

The main issue is whether the land should be used for growing food instead, but I think power is an equal need here in the UK.

I do object to Grade 1 arable land being used for solar farms. There is plenty of low grade land that can't be built on but is very suitable for solar.

[Scholar Gypsy]

I do object to Grade 1 arable land being used for solar farms. There is plenty of low grade land that can't be built on but is very suitable for solar.

 

I agree! There are some massive ones being built in the Fens which I think are rather spoiling the view.

 

Personally I find them more visually intrusive than turbines, but I know opinions differ.

[b0atman]

The ones I have seen are low down panels not very easy for sheep to graze around so they must be labour intensive cutting grass and weeds keeping panels clean and clear of snow .

I wonder when the number of wind turbines will exceed the number of windmills that there used to be grinding flour, pumping water .

[MtB]

On the negative side, I doubt grass will grow very well (or at all) in the shadow of a solar array close to the ground,.

 

So eventually there is be little of no grazing available for the poor sheepies. But at least they'll be able to charge their mobiles.

[peterboat]

As long as wind turbines are generating all the time and these solar fields are feeding into the grid then yes I am all for them.

BUT why are so many not in use.

Thats easy you cant turn off nuclear coal gas or oil at the drop of a hat but wind you can just feather the blades

 

Peter

[kazbluesky]

Thats easy you cant turn off nuclear coal gas or oil at the drop of a hat but wind you can just feather the blades

 

Peter

 

Yup, but you still have to pay them for the wind turbines even when they are switched off. Very bad (corrupt/incompetent?) deal I think, and this is coming from someone who loves this newfangled renewable stuff - I've even got 4.8kw of panels on my roof!

[Machpoint005]

 

Yup, but you still have to pay them for the wind turbines even when they are switched off. Very bad (corrupt/incompetent?) deal I think, and this is coming from someone who loves this newfangled renewable stuff - I've even got 4.8kw of panels on my roof!

 

No you don't. The price subsidy is applied to energy actually generated.

 

Unlike nuclear energy, the true cost of which is underwritten by governments, and will be for thousands of years.

Unlike coal-fired energy, which doesn't pay the true costs of the environmental damage caused.

 

ETA: I'm in favour of solar parks too, including this one.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Machpoint005

[MtB]

 

No you don't. The price subsidy is applied to energy actually generated.

 

Unlike nuclear energy, the true cost of which is underwritten by governments, and will be for thousands of years.

Unlike coal-fired energy, which doesn't pay the true costs of the environmental damage caused.

 

ETA: I'm in favour of solar parks too, including this one.

 

But Sir, Sir, are solar parks (I think farm is a more appropriate word as they are harvesting a crop, of energy) actually genuinely commercially viable?

 

ISTR the cost of the panels is heavily govt subsidised and the feed-in tariff price paid for the leccy they generate is artificially inflated too. Way higher than power stations get paid for their input to the National Grid, but I don't have any figures.

 

I'm rather intrigued about the technology too. Solar panels generate DC so the farms must be converting to AC and stepping up the voltage. I wonder how they ensure synchronisation of their AC with the NG AC and how much this kit costs, who pays when it breaks down/gets chewed by a sheep, etc etc...

 

MtB

[MartinC]

This web site, relating to our local solar farm, answers a lot of the points raised http://westsolentsolar.coop/about-us/about-the-solar-farm/

[Machpoint005]

 

But Sir, Sir, are solar parks (I think farm is a more appropriate word as they are harvesting a crop, of energy) actually genuinely commercially viable?

 

ISTR the cost of the panels is heavily govt subsidised and the feed-in tariff price paid for the leccy they generate is artificially inflated too. Way higher than power stations get paid for their input to the National Grid, but I don't have any figures.

 

I'm rather intrigued about the technology too. Solar panels generate DC so the farms must be converting to AC and stepping up the voltage. I wonder how they ensure synchronisation of their AC with the NG AC and how much this kit costs, who pays when it breaks down/gets chewed by a sheep, etc etc...

 

MtB

 

I don't honestly know, Mike. I would think that the capital costs must be an order of magnitude less than a wind farm (on a per MW basis).but the price of PV panels is coming down all the time.

As regards feeding into the NG, there is a hefty charge to be paid for grid access so the cost of the necessary kit might be covered by that? I dare say they have thought of it, though.

[Barry]

 

But Sir, Sir, are solar parks (I think farm is a more appropriate word as they are harvesting a crop, of energy) actually genuinely commercially viable?

 

ISTR the cost of the panels is heavily govt subsidised and the feed-in tariff price paid for the leccy they generate is artificially inflated too. Way higher than power stations get paid for their input to the National Grid, but I don't have any figures.

 

I'm rather intrigued about the technology too. Solar panels generate DC so the farms must be converting to AC and stepping up the voltage. I wonder how they ensure synchronisation of their AC with the NG AC and how much this kit costs, who pays when it breaks down/gets chewed by a sheep, etc etc...

 

MtB

 

I think these things are being discussed in the thread I started here yesterday Mike