Representation by Clare Cambridge
- Date submitted
- 6 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
As a farmer I am concerned about the Giant Solar Farm; this development will destroy over 2500 acres of decent arable land . Britain is more dependent than ever upon our own soil for food production. Can it be right that land which has grown vegetables and cereals is lost to arable farming for ever? The President of the NFU has emphasised the need to preserve our arable land: are DEFRA happy about this scheme? Could a scaled-down version of the Sunnica plan be sited on land which cannot grow crops? A ‘Brown-field site’ previously used for industry? In France, solar panels are placed on the roofs of supermarket carparks. Would sheep grazing between the panels of the site adequately replace the site’s arable productivity? Might there be other problems associated with keeping sheep long-term around this plant? Giant Solar Farms can accelerate Climate Change Please read a study published 25 March 2021 by Dr Benjamin Smith of Sydney’s Hawkesbury Institute and Dr Zhengyao Lu of Lund University, Sweden. Their research paper Giant desert solar farms might have unintended climate consequences, examines the trend for establishing giant solar farms in the Sahara. The scientists found that such huge installations can cause a rise in temperature leading to severe weather events around the plant eg floods and storms, ultimately accelerating Climate Change: “ The panels are usually much darker than the ground they cover, so a vast expanse of solar cells will absorb a lot of additional energy and emit it as heat, affecting the climate.” The scientists explain that the weather problems did not arise because the farms were in the desert, but because of their innate construction. “Solutions such as this may help society transition from fossil energy, but Earth system studies such as ours underscore the importance of considering the numerous coupled responses of the atmosphere, oceans and land surface when examining their benefits and risks.” Problems for birdlife The site locale is renowned for sanctuaries like Kingfisher Bridge, attracting ornithologists from all over Britain. What if the birds began to die? The USA often site huge solar farms in deserts but the Department of Energy has noticed high numbers of avian deaths and funded a research project to establish why so many birds die daily around solar farms. Do birds plunge into the blue panels mistaking them for a lake? Many birds have scorched wings. Scientists noted that giant solar farms caused loss of habitat for other species, upsetting the balance of nature. Problems for human health. There has been much medical debate about the ill-effects caused by electromagnetic waves and humming from the giant solar farm. Particulates emanating from the plant might also contaminate local water reservoirs. Disposing of spent solar panels. How will the spent solar panels be disposed of? Disposal involves an industrial-sized shredder and a hammermill. Are East Cambridgeshire and West Suffolk councils ready to fund this? Or will local taxpayers?