Choice: food or solar fields

[dodge man]

Back when Bill Clinton was president they apparently had money to burn. They implemented a farm program called CREP. It stood for conservation reserve enhance program. It was permanent set aside. You couldn’t farm, log it, mow it, just walk on it and hunt on it. As in NEVER. As a rule it was meant to keep silt out of the major rivers but it spread to smaller rivers when participation wasn’t big enough.

People often got paid through the CREP program a lot more than they paid for the ground. I wonder how long before the government pays these landowner to go back and start farming it.

 

[Egon]

And how much arable farmable land is covered in concrete and asphalt?

 

[MossRoad]

What I find interesting is the adamant feelings by most that a person should be allowed to do with their own land what they want to do, without government interference. Yet when said person (usually farmers) leases their land to solar or wind projects, the same people are outraged, and want government to stop it.

You can't have it both ways, folks.

 

[Rebeldad1]

Solar and farming can work quite well together. It just takes a little planning. When we get the green light that solar is good then I think we will see a lot of planning of where to use it.
Warehouses and stores with huge unobstructed roofs. Farms with unusable land.
Windows in tall buildings using solar windows (yes they exist).
Solar roofing material for homes. And... when we see how much rebuilding our very old grid systems maybe big utility companies will start embracing home solar systems that put excess power back in the grid.

 

[fishdrivel]

Has anyone plugged into the equation what happens when after 2035 only electric new cars will be available? Of course with the Colorado River putting less water behind the dams it may free up thousands of acres in farmland to become solar energy sources. Hmmm, I wonder where we'll get all the lithium for the batteries and who will handle the waste stream of production and recycling. It's all above my pay grade to ponder but I'm sure the government will solve all the problems.

California utilities is already saying they do not have the capacity to provide enough electricity during times of need.
They are now considering burning the excessive amount of natural gas that is already in storage.
Yes, people have already determined what will happen when everybody plugs in their cars- not pretty.
The lithium will have to come from open-pit mining.
Won't that be swell for the environment!
As far as what to do with the old batteries, somebody better start working on that! They do not have a plan.....

The rise of electric cars could leave us with a big battery waste problem

Carmakers, recyclers and tech startups are working to solve the question of how to deal with lithium-ion batteries when they wear out

www.theguardian.com

 

[5030]

Being assertive on climate change is one thing, but tens of thousands of acres of food-producing farming land going lost because of assumptions from predictive computer models? Under a solar field grows nothing, not even weeds. But of course, food can then be brought in by ship from Asia

Not one of all these climate models, when tested against historical climate data of the last century, gives a better result than 50%. Computer models can't even predict the stock exchange over one whole week.

Tens of thousands of acres needed for solar fields to meet Consumers Energy climate goals

Officials expect tens of thousands of acres of solar fields will be needed to meet the company’s climate promises, along with retiring coal-burning power generation.

www.mlive.com

I see Putin is cutting off your neighbor's electricity this weekend. Finland is about to become dark.

 

[shooterdon]

I do not worry about stuff like this anymore. It is all about money and votes. Anyone who says they know the answer (always based on science...LOL) is another liar.

What is the worst that can happen? A billion people die of hunger? They have to kill people off somehow...viruses or wars work too. The oceans rise and destroy coastal cities...wow a world without New York or LA...what a travesty.

I know a family that farms over 2000 acres for horse hay. They could grow food but those silly horse people pay a huge premium for good hay. Why feed people when it makes more sense to feed horses?

There is plenty of food and it is cheap if you shop right.

 

[ljjhouser]

Interesting videos. And some interesting management and construction ideas.

But I think a lot of the solar panel/ag production depends on one major factor. TRUST. I haven't found many farmers that place a lot of trust in the gov regulations. What are the farmer's option when promises and policies are changed after the attempt does not produce well.

 

[lman]

I do not worry about stuff like this anymore. It is all about money and votes. Anyone who says they know the answer (always based on science...LOL) is another liar.

What is the worst that can happen? A billion people die of hunger? They have to kill people off somehow...viruses or wars work too. The oceans rise and destroy coastal cities...wow a world without New York or LA...what a travesty.

I know a family that farms over 2000 acres for horse hay. They could grow food but those silly horse people pay a huge premium for good hay. Why feed people when it makes more sense to feed horses?

There is plenty of food and it is cheap if you shop right.

Nothing wrong with some nice lean horse steaks.

 

[fishdrivel]

Not to worry, California has it all figured out!
They shut off the water to California Valley farmers to save the water for the Delta smelt. It is a tiny fish and there are probably five of them left. I'd love to eat one, if I get a chance!
Anyway, The dry, flat useless farm land is not growing food anymore so they should be able to find all the solar field acres they need there.
They should be able to get all the lithium they need by raping the indian reservations. We don't need beef either. Go Vegan! If you can grow the vegetables somewhere else! Beef farts are destroying California anyways.....