Solar farms

[Julie in Ash]

I was just wondering if anyone had thought about solar farms as a potential site for hives? We are surrounded by them here as farmers cash in and turn over a field or two to solar energy, and you often see sheep grazing between the panels, but it struck me they are secure and don't have much human traffic so could be a good Apiary spot.

Don't shoot me if this is a potty idea. Just thinking aloud. Maybe it's already happening, I don't know, but have never seen hives in the solar fields round here.

 

[iann41]

I'm not sure the owners of solar farms would want people near to all that electricity. Think their insurers would have an opinion about it.

You could ask the land owner I suppose.

 

[Anduril]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30610&highlight=Solar+farm&page=2
One example and it is quite safe near all that electricity. Secure site for 25 years and then it is a brown field site and suitable for building houses on.

 

[enrico]

They are a good site. Have a friend in Shropshire who uses them.
E

 

[For want of a better word]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30610&highlight=Solar+farm&page=2
One example and it is quite safe near all that electricity. Secure site for 25 years and then it is a brown field site and suitable for building houses on.

OK for bees... not sure that sites will be classified as "Brown field"..... Planning may have been given that excludes housing or industrial development once the Solar farm has come to the end of its very short life.

IMHO the cost of the energy produced to the environment ( visual impact plus infrastructure/ roads cables towers etc...) is massive when compared with New generation Nuclear.... but must be a nice little earmer for the feather bed farmers and big landowners!

 

[Anduril]

OK for bees... not sure that sites will be classified as "Brown field"..... Planning may have been given that excludes housing or industrial development once the Solar farm has come to the end of its very short life.

IMHO the cost of the energy produced to the environment ( visual impact plus infrastructure/ roads cables towers etc...) is massive when compared with New generation Nuclear.... but must be a nice little earmer for the feather bed farmers and big landowners!

Spoke to a farmer who confirmed it.
Second paragraph, you're such a cynic.

 

[For want of a better word]

Spoke to a farmer who confirmed it.
Second paragraph, you're such a cynic.

70 years nye on of seeing the rich get richer and the poor man still standing at his gate.

Wealth is rarely created... more usually inherited!

Yeghes da

 

[madasafish]

70 years nye on of seeing the rich get richer and the poor man still standing at his gate.

Wealth is rarely created... more usually inherited!

Yeghes da

Yes: look at Richard Branson, Dyson, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckenberg,Mike Ashley,Steve Jobs : all inherited their wealth and shares and did nothing for it.::

The politics of envy are usually the prerogative of the ignorant.

 

[Anduril]

Yes: look at Richard Branson, Dyson, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckenberg,Mike Ashley,Steve Jobs : all inherited their wealth and shares and did nothing for it.::

The politics of envy are usually the prerogative of the ignorant.

Like

 

[Popparand]

I was just wondering if anyone had thought about solar farms as a potential site for hives? We are surrounded by them here as farmers cash in and turn over a field or two to solar energy, and you often see sheep grazing between the panels, but it struck me they are secure and don't have much human traffic so could be a good Apiary spot.

Don't shoot me if this is a potty idea. Just thinking aloud. Maybe it's already happening, I don't know, but have never seen hives in the solar fields round here.

Our BBKA division has an apiary on a massive solar farm. Benefits:

£k's grant from the owner of the solar arrays
Good security


Downsides:

Access can be tricky because of high security
Sheep can knock over hives

 

[For want of a better word]

Yes: look at Richard Branson, Dyson, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckenberg,Mike Ashley,Steve Jobs : all inherited their wealth and shares and did nothing for it.::

The politics of envy are usually the prerogative of the ignorant.

And all with the exception of Bill Gates have done nothing with it... but are not so wealthy as those who have inherited well!

No envy.. as it is as easy for a rich man to pass into the kingdom of heaven as it is for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle... or something like that if you were to believe my Gran !

Yeghes da