Salt Marsh

[[194497]]

I would probably be cheaper to build them in Morocco and import the electricity, which I have heard proposed.

I think in the long term it probably would, yes... But solar is already pretty much the cheapest way to generate electricity, even in England.

 

[Stemar]

A local farm has just got permission to become a solar farm, miles of grey steel fencing surround it already. Yet just three miles away are the warehouses & distribution centre building of the new London Gateway super port, hundreds of acres of roofs with nothing on them. The same is repeated across the country by the side of the M1, M6, A5 & many other major roads.
If anyone can explain to to me why it is better to build solar farms on good farmland instead of warehouse roofs when we import more people & food by the week from I would like to hear it.
Utter idiotic madness.

That really is idiotic, but it's the system that's wrong.

If a farmer can make more money by putting up solar panels than growing food, who's to blame him? That's particularly the case if it's marginal land, in which case building homes might be a better use, but building on agricultural land? I can hear the screams from unreasoning greenies and nimbies from here.

Likewise, for the warehouse, it's an extra expense with a long payback time, so one can hardly blame them, either. Maybe we need a planning permission condition that large roofs will be built suitable for solar panels, and set up an organisation to install and maintain them, and feed the power into the grid. But this is complicated by the fact that solar already provides too much power on sunny days, and storage has a long way to go before it's ready to become mainstream in the capacity needed to keep the grid running through winter nights.

 

[st599]

The latest fad .... ??
UK's muddy saltmarshes vital to tackle climate change - report

Will this help or hinder boating ?

Will it affect the EA's vision of saving money be allowing the shingle bank to Hurst Castle to be breached ?

Hardly a fad, the Johnson government initiated the Blue Carbon capture requirements over 5 years ago. To reduce what they need to do to industry, transport etc. they initiated a plan to sequester carbon in salt marshes, kelp and seagrass beds.
Expanding the concept of ‘blue carbon’: Cefas science on coastal ecosystems and their role in tackling climate change – Marine Science

They identified early on that they would need to massively increase the salt marshes and seagrass meadows and prevent sediment disturbance for the plan to work. That's why the RYA has been working with the universities running trial schemes to find ways in which boats can still use and moor in relevant bays and coves.

 

[franksingleton]

I am always a little sceptical when I see reports such as st the OP. I cannot judge how important they are. However, it is achieved, it is clear that we should be taking action to reduce GHGs. The consequences of not doing so are horrendous. To do so will mean a combination of approaches. We non-experts can only hope that all useful approaches are followed. This may or may not come into that category.

 

[oldgit]

Recall the protests when it was proposed to install a number of windmills in the Thames Esturary, visible if you looked very hard on the horizon.
Apparently you can now get a trip out to view them via enterprising local boatowners.
Suspect maintaince work has also provided decent incomes for locals in some rather down at heel coastal towns as well.
Course they were going to cause death and destruction to local seabirds and sailors alike.

Dead handy for those of us with the navigational skills of a amoeba to find our way home as well.

 

[WoodyP]

That really is idiotic, but it's the system that's wrong.

If a farmer can make more money by putting up solar panels than growing food, who's to blame him? That's particularly the case if it's marginal land, in which case building homes might be a better use, but building on agricultural land? I can hear the screams from unreasoning greenies and nimbies from here.

Likewise, for the warehouse, it's an extra expense with a long payback time, so one can hardly blame them, either. Maybe we need a planning permission condition that large roofs will be built suitable for solar panels, and set up an organisation to install and maintain them, and feed the power into the grid. But this is complicated by the fact that solar already provides too much power on sunny days, and storage has a long way to go before it's ready to become mainstream in the capacity needed to keep the grid running through winter nights.

If you are a landowner the rent for solar is in the region of £1200 per acre. If your land is only fit for grain cropping the returns can easily be negative. If you rent out the land on a farm business tenancy you will get a rent of circa £200 per acre. The leases are for 25 years. It's a no brainer if you are a landowner with a tenant to terminate the tenancy and take the money.