Author Topic: Solar farms in Derbyshire  (Read 2771 times)

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Old Cruser

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Solar farms in Derbyshire
« on: February 24, 2015, 11:51:40 AM »
Sounds like a good idea when they put it like this.



Local residents are set to be asked their views on proposals to build solar farms at several of our sites.

We've identified six possible locations in the North East and Amber Valley areas, for the project.

The proposals are to set up a series of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) sites − better known as solar farms on land we own which is currently underused. This includes former colliery or underused agricultural land unsuitable for growing crops.

Initial investigations have identified the following sites for potential development:

agricultural land at Swathwick Lane, Swathwick, Wingerworth
Westthorpe Hills, former Westthorpe Colliery
land at Pye Bridge, Alfreton
former Swanwick Colliery reclamation land
agricultural land at Mansfield Road, Temple Normanton
former Williamthorpe Colliery
The idea is that solar panels, which would be installed in the ground, generate electricity from the sun. An energy supplier then pays us for each unit of electricity produced with extra payments if the electricity is then exported to the National Grid.

The project, which is being put forward in partnership with the Association for Public Sector Excellence (APSE) − an organisation that supports local authorities to deliver energy schemes − is in its early stages.

Further feasibility studies would still need to be carried out. If any of the sites get the go-ahead they could be up and running by March 2016.

But before any of the locations can be considered further, local residents are to be asked their views.

Next week (Tuesday 3 March), Cabinet will be asked to approve plans to consult on the initiative. If agreed, details of the consultation will be announced shortly.

Councillor John Owen, Deputy Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure, said:

"These sites are not currently being put to their best use and turning them into solar panel farms could offer great potential to generate income for the council and so help protect services.
"Generally, these proposed sites are already screened off, in out of the way areas and in most cases are not overlooked. And largely they tend not to be of much environmental interest. In some cases they could provide a good opportunity to improve the local conservation."

Councillor Owen added:

"We have made a public commitment in our Climate Change Charter to invest in renewable energy technologies to help reduce our negative impact on climate change and provide local, green sources of energy.
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osbrook

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Re: Solar farms in Derbyshire
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2015, 12:16:34 PM »
Sounds good but who is funding this and who gets the benefits?

I think these could be built as energy co-operatives.   The panels are bought by the public as an investment, where they get a percentage of the FIT back in interest and can trade the panels owned back to the owner.

So Say I want to get in to Solar and don't have a suitable roof,  I could spend my £4k on ground based panels in one of these fields and I get the FIT all but the running costs.   In future I could but more or sell some of the panels.  I feel good because I'm being green and I still get a guaranteed income for 20 years. ie. length of the FIT.

Investing £4k  and allowing 20% maintenance/running costs would return me £240 pa for twenty years or 6% interest.   Running cost at 20% sounds a bit high but it serves as an example.

It's an option that saves the council paying for them.

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Re: Solar farms in Derbyshire
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2015, 05:11:40 PM »
Hi osbrook, welcome to chesterfieldonline  :)

Just as a matter of interest, is a 6% interest return on £4k for 20 years PA good.
Would your money be tied for 20 years, or on an opt out now basis ?
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osbrook

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Re: Solar farms in Derbyshire
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2015, 04:07:06 PM »
Sorry for the tardy time it took for me to reply.

6% depends on your standpoint.   Currently a lot better than ISA's and safer then most things as it is government backed - at least the feed in part.   You could also look at it from a "I want want to feel good and do my bit for the environment" point of view.   Not all people can have Solar panels, wind turbines and drive electric cars, but want to do something.

No the concept was not that your money would be tied in, rather you could trade with other members of the group 'your' panels.
I still see it as a long term as it may take a while to get your money out.

Currently Chesterfield is a way behind other parts of the country and that has a lot to do with the traditional industries around here.   Coal mining.   Those days are gone at least for the next few decades.   The future is in renewables (at least until they run out  :-?   sorry bad joke).  There is no reason why Chesterfield cannot set an example of how far things can be switched.

The other thing Chesterfield is behind on, and this affects tourism rather then just being for locals is Electric car charging points.    There are now a large enough volume of Electric cars for it to worth installing charge points around the town.   Currently people by-pass Chesterfield as there are available charge points on the Motorway, Sheffield and Derby.  this is silly when Chesterfield has two main dealers of electric cars and one of them is 1 of only 134 in the UK.  We also have one of the UK's leading suppliers of charge points and cables.   Looking at any charge map will show a big hole around Chesterfield.

All these charge points could be powered by these Solar and wind farms.   Clean energy and transport.
Note JUST to process/refine 1 gallon of petrol (not transport) takes 4.5KH of electricity or 20 Electric car miles.



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Re: Solar farms in Derbyshire
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2015, 06:01:07 PM »
Just an update on the Solar Farms, there are to be six roads shows for more information on them.




We're proposing to put the solar panel sites at six locations that we own in the North East and Amber Valley areas.

But before the project is developed any further we want to find out what local residents think about the plans.

Six roadshows will be held in the next few weeks. They're at:

Somercotes Village Hall, Nottingham Road, Somercotes, Thursday 19 March, 1pm to 3pm − land at Pye Bridge, Alfreton
Wingerworth Parish Hall, New Road, Wingerworth, Friday 20 March, 1pm to 3pm − agricultural land at Swathwick Lane, Swathwick
St Alban's Centre, Heath Road, Holmewood, Monday 23 March, 1pm to 3pm − former Williamthorpe Colliery site
Killamarsh Sports Centre, Stanley Street, Killamarsh, Friday 27 March, 1pm to 3pm - Westthorpe Hills, former Westthorpe Colliery site
Swanwick Methodist Church, Community Room, Derby Road, Swanwick, Tuesday 31 March, 1pm to 3pm − former Swanwick Colliery reclamation land
St James' Church, Church Lane, Temple Normanton, Monday 13 April, 1pm to 3pm - agricultural land at Mansfield Road, Temple Normanton
If any of the sites get the go-ahead, solar panels will be installed in the ground. They work by generating electricity from the sun which can then be sold back to an energy supplier or the National Grid, bringing in an income for the council.

The project is being put forward in partnership with the Association for Public Sector Excellence (APSE) - an organisation that supports local authorities to deliver energy schemes.

A consultation questionnaire about the scheme can be completed online at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/solarfarms. Closing date for responses is 20 April 2015.

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Re: Solar farms in Derbyshire
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2015, 03:49:29 PM »
I'd rather have a solar farm than drilling for shale gas as proposed near to my house :(
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