Craig GrannellJun 29, 2023
It’s starting to really get to me in the UK how many people are furiously angry about the prospect of more solar on fields when *many actual farmers* are enthusing about how great mixed-use fields can be. (Solar can shade animals and plants. In many cases, it can also be combined with rainfall capture. It’s about making better use of some land, not replacing one thing with another.)
Show threadBashStKidJun 29, 2023

@craiggrannell
Also an opportunity to cut some farm input costs by generating own power for lighting, heating, and fuel. Probably the only bit of food price inflation we can affect.

I would say I’m much more in favour of locally or consumer-owned cooperatives owning the solar and also benefiting directly from the cheaper electricity, rather than anonymous distant companies who pass no benefits onto anybody.

Show threadCraig GrannellJun 29, 2023
@BashStKid Mm. There’s no imagination. We should be putting solar everywhere. Every new build. Every commercial building with a flat roof. Local co-ops. Wherever else we can. Aggressively ramp up wind and tidal too and see where that gets us. But no. (Even in the town where I live, which is quite affluent, home rooftop solar is very rare.)
Show threadBashStKid
@craiggrannell
The biggest help in that direction would be to exclude the solar improvement from the rateable value.
Right now, any saving from installing solar is more than taken away by the business rateable value increase from HMRC. Wouldn’t be surprised if the next round of council tax revaluations put houses with solar up into the next band so that everyone is demotivated.
Jun 29, 2023 at 9:04amWeb