Energy saving tips

Page 5 - Passionate about caravans & motorhome? Join our community to share that passion with a global audience!
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,131
50,935
Visit site
Obviously there are objectors to wind farms and solar arrays, because of the way they look. They are of course entitled to their own opinions about about that. Personally I prefer them to the looks of conventional power stations and refineries. I also prefer the knowledge the energy they produce is not throwing tons of emissions into the air which causes acid rain and climate change which affects everyone negatively.

I also prefer Solar and wind becasue of the small footprint and support infrastructure they need compared to the footprint of conventional power stations and the miles of train tracks and pipelines, coal mines and slag heaps, or oil/gas wells, massive ships all of which invariably produce emissions, and often pollute the the environment, and become tokens in a game political blackmail and greed.

I do miss Rugeley coal fired power station, becasue it's plume of steam from its cooling towers was always a great landmark when navigating around Cannock Chase with groups of Scouts. I suppose we now need to use compasses instead.
One advantage of wind farms and solar farms is that updating and replacing obsolete units is simpler, although a 30+ year working life is currently being attained. Should fusion come along removing a wind or solar farm and returning the land to nature is not difficult. Nice to dream. 🤞
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tobes and ProfJohnL
Mar 14, 2005
17,557
3,051
50,935
Visit site
One advantage of wind farms and solar farms is that updating and replacing obsolete units is simpler, although a 30+ year working life is currently being attained. Should fusion come along removing a wind or solar farm and returning the land to nature is not difficult. Nice to dream. 🤞
Even if fusion does not come along soon enough, replacing wind turbine is still far simpler than reverting to fossil fuels. And contrary to some scaremongers, decommissioned wind turbines and their blade can be recycled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tobes
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,131
50,935
Visit site
Even if fusion does not come along soon enough, replacing wind turbine is still far simpler than reverting to fossil fuels. And contrary to some scaremongers, decommissioned wind turbines and their blade can be recycled.
If course if the holy grail of fusion power were to come to fruition there would doubtless be vociferous objections on at least two counts. One, such fusion power stations would be large akin to a fossil fuel or nuclear station. So there’s the NIMBY contingent. Secondly there’s those who think it could go “ bang” like a hydrogen bomb.
 
Jul 18, 2017
11,937
3,325
32,935
Visit site
I do miss Rugeley coal fired power station, becasue it's plume of steam from its cooling towers was always a great landmark when navigating around Cannock Chase with groups of Scouts. I suppose we now need to use compasses instead.


LOL! However now you have a choice hundreds of wind towers to use our landmarks. I thought scouts used compasses and OS maps anyway and not landmarks?
 
Jul 23, 2021
674
587
2,135
Visit site
LOL! However now you have a choice hundreds of wind towers to use our landmarks. I thought scouts used compasses and OS maps anyway and not landmarks?
Scouts (and anyone else practicing orienteering ) use maps, compasses and landmarks. The three go hand in hand. I have definitely used wind turbines as a landmark when walking. Also trees, power stations, chimneys, churches, mountains, cliffs and towns. Basically any feature marked on a map (or not marked but visible).
I personally love a wind turbine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ProfJohnL
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,131
50,935
Visit site
Scouts (and anyone else practicing orienteering ) use maps, compasses and landmarks. The three go hand in hand. I have definitely used wind turbines as a landmark when walking. Also trees, power stations, chimneys, churches, mountains, cliffs and towns. Basically any feature marked on a map (or not marked but visible).
I personally love a wind turbine.
The only problem taking a bearing on a wind turbine is that next time you check your bearing you cannot remember which turbine you used last time. And doubtless it gets worse with age as you probably can’t even remember using the wind farm 🤣🤣🤣
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Tobes
Jul 18, 2017
11,937
3,325
32,935
Visit site
Scouts (and anyone else practicing orienteering ) use maps, compasses and landmarks. The three go hand in hand. I have definitely used wind turbines as a landmark when walking. Also trees, power stations, chimneys, churches, mountains, cliffs and towns. Basically any feature marked on a map (or not marked but visible).
I personally love a wind turbine.
When I was a scout we did not have the luxury of landmarks as none to be seen in most cases. We used OS maps and compass to get our badge. There were occasions when we did get lost. Stood me in good stead in laster years when in the services as very few good read a map and use a compass.
The only problem taking a bearing on a wind turbine is that next time you check your bearing you cannot remember which turbine you used last time. And doubtless it gets worse with age as you probably can’t even remember using the wind farm 🤣🤣🤣
Even after you have passed wind? :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
Jun 20, 2005
17,263
3,486
50,935
Visit site
I wonder what the The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty take is on giant blots on the landscape? Whoops , sorry wind farms🤪
 
  • Like
Reactions: Buckman
Jul 18, 2017
11,937
3,325
32,935
Visit site
I wonder what the The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty take is on giant blots on the landscape? Whoops , sorry wind farms🤪

I wonder why no protests from ramblers, walkers etc. In our area a solar farm has been proposed and a lot of people are objecting.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dustydog
Jul 23, 2021
674
587
2,135
Visit site
I wonder why no protests from ramblers, walkers etc. In our area a solar farm has been proposed and a lot of people are objecting.
Protests against what? Have any footpaths been closed, or rights of way diverted? Why the objection to the solar farm? Will it damage a view? Would you rather have the land sold for housing, or warehousing?
 
Jun 20, 2005
17,263
3,486
50,935
Visit site
Protests against what? Have any footpaths been closed, or rights of way diverted? Why the objection to the solar farm? Will it damage a view? Would you rather have the land sold for housing, or warehousing?
A rhetorical question Tobes. 😉You may like to look at wind and solar farms in your back yard but others don’t. As BB says ,everyone to their own🤪
 
Jul 23, 2021
674
587
2,135
Visit site
A rhetorical question Tobes. 😉You may like to look at wind and solar farms in your back yard but others don’t. As BB says ,everyone to their own🤪
I agree, some do some don't. But the question remains about what walkers and ramblers might be protesting about. My observation is that perhaps there are no protests by walkers and ramblers because they don't mind?
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,131
50,935
Visit site
I wonder what the The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty take is on giant blots on the landscape? Whoops , sorry wind farms🤪


The majority of wind farm installations are offshore and the new large licences recently issued are off shore. You cannot have it all ways and what would your solution for clean energy be? Even if we go for some further time on oil and gas there has to come a time when the bulk of our energy comes from electric sourced from where? I suppose we could try and make carbon capture economic but we’d still be hostage to global prices.

Solar farms in our area of which there are quite a number are virtually invisible unless you are using a drone.
 
Jul 18, 2017
11,937
3,325
32,935
Visit site
Protests against what? Have any footpaths been closed, or rights of way diverted? Why the objection to the solar farm? Will it damage a view? Would you rather have the land sold for housing, or warehousing?
Should be kept as farm land so no necessity to import food from foreign countries! We are too reliant on other countries for our food etc.
 
Jul 23, 2021
674
587
2,135
Visit site
Should be kept as farm land so no necessity to import food from foreign countries!
As OC says, the vast majority of wind is being deployed off shore. On shore wind has almost no impact on farmland. Solar is deployable on land in such a way as to maintain grazing capability on the land for livestock.
We are too reliant on other countries for our food etc.
I thought energy was in that "etc" and we needed to reduce our reliance on imported energy? Or is it only important to reduced our reliance on imports if we can't see the impact of that reduction on the land?
 
Jun 20, 2005
17,263
3,486
50,935
Visit site
The majority of wind farm installations are offshore and the new large licences recently issued are off shore. You cannot have it all ways and what would your solution for clean energy be? Even if we go for some further time on oil and gas there has to come a time when the bulk of our energy comes from electric sourced from where? I suppose we could try and make carbon capture economic but we’d still be hostage to global prices.

Solar farms in our area of which there are quite a number are virtually invisible unless you are using a drone.
I have no solutions Clive to being clean. Until we scrap air travel and all sea faring vessels clean will not happen. The fact is we are still one of the least polluters in the world , allegedly. As I have said all BBC along it’s about time😉
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,096
6,131
50,935
Visit site
I have no solutions Clive to being clean. Until we scrap air travel and all sea faring vessels clean will not happen. The fact is we are still one of the least polluters in the world , allegedly. As I have said all BBC along it’s about time😉
One good source of information is the International Energy Agency that produces a wide range of reports on all aspects of world energy. One report showed transportation responsible for 27% of global co2 emissions of which 72% was from road transport. Aviation and shipping contributing the remaining 28% along with rail ( minimal). Things like tractors, quarry vehicles were grouped under their respective sectors. Another report showed the top 20 countries for CO2 emissions and UK may as you say be small, but we are in the top 20.


HMG also put out a UK annual energy report too. So with the IEA reports and specific UK ones there’s a lot of information showing where changes are happening, what those changes are, and forecasts of developing trends around the world. What is really clear is that significantly more reliance on clean electricity is essential to mitigating the effects of CO2.




 
  • Like
Reactions: Tobes
Jun 20, 2005
17,263
3,486
50,935
Visit site
There are a couple very large solar farms near us. I spent an entire day cleaning my roof of bird mess ,lichens , detritus etc. I wonder how often the solar panels need cleaning before their performance deteriorates?
I have a vision of the cleaning becoming like the days of old painting the Forth Bridge😜
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,557
3,051
50,935
Visit site
There are a couple very large solar farms near us. I spent an entire day cleaning my roof of bird mess ,lichens , detritus etc. I wonder how often the solar panels need cleaning before their performance deteriorates?
I have a vision of the cleaning becoming like the days of old painting the Forth Bridge😜
As soon as any part of panel becomes optically dirty, the output will drop!

How much will drop might be quite surprising, but it does depend on how the cells in the panel are connected.

You might find this interesting
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoIjTK249D0
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dustydog

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts