US town reject solar panel installation,says causes cancer and sucks towns light - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 05:34:14 pm
content: Like the title says :http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-town-rejects-solar-panels-amid-fears-they-suck-up-all-the-energy-from-the-sun-a6771526.htmlDuring the Woodland Town Council meeting, one local man, Bobby Mann, said solar farms would suck up all the energy from the sun and businesses would not go to Woodland, the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald reported.Jane Mann, a retired science teacher, said she was concerned the panels would prevent plants in the area from photosynthesizing, stopping them from growing.Ms Mann said she had seen areas near solar panels where plants are brown and dead because they did not get enough sunlight.She also questioned the high number of cancer deaths in the area, saying no one could tell her solar panels didn't cause cancer.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 05:38:21 pm
content: Further proof society is getting dumber by the minute.A science teacher,

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 05:42:06 pm
content: I thought I was reading The Onion for a moment. As a small ray of hope, "retired" may sometimes actually mean "fired".

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 05:43:38 pm
content: Either that or a Machiavellian NIMBY who knows exactly how to appeal to the council members prejudices, having terrorised them in grade school for long enough to have the goods on them.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 05:49:35 pm
content: Sucks up the sunlight - er yes, that is what they do, otherwise the panels are just a very expensive rooftop.Businesses would not go there - iffy, but they would still have an income from the generation of power bringing in income with very low maintenance cost, and no expensive roads and infrastructure like sewage works and water lines are needed throughout the solar farm.The panels prevent plants from growing - plants tend not to grow in full shade, but there are a lot of plants that prefer low light conditions to grow, so might actually like growing there.Brown and dead plants- you do know they tend to spray a herbicide around the panels so they do not get shaded by trees.High cancer rate - no idea of the area, but they could simply be things like naturally occurring arsenic in the ground water, radon gas from the ground, contaminated water from old coal mining activity, old copper mines, etc.Retired science teacher - bet she taught as she was taught, that the earth is 6000 years old, the Bible was written in English only, electricity is the Devil's work, a car needs a man walking in front with a red flag so as not to spook the horses, those furriners should be railroaded out of town....

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 07:10:47 pm
content: In other news, cars are good for the plants. They create CO2, and that is what the plants are drinking. They get all shiny and happy.

author: babysitter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 07:13:07 pm
content: It's what plants crave.

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 07:17:03 pm
content: "Businesses would not go there"Of course not! Businesses require employees with a functioning brain. Obviously, that's not the case in Woodland!

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 07:45:26 pm
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on December 13, 2015, 05:38:21 pmRemember... those who can't... teach!

author: continuo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 08:28:03 pm
content: But it's a good thing, if they suck up all the energy of the sun it counteracts global warming

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 08:32:25 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 13, 2015, 08:24:52 pmFortunately many can get a refill at their supermarket:

author: Habropoda
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 09:31:02 pm
content: Meh, that link is pretty much clickbait for a poorly written article. Here is an article with more info:http://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/2015/12/08/woodland-rejects-solar-farm/I'll cherry pick a few quotes:The town would not benefit from the solar farms because they are not located within the town limits, but only in the extraterritorial sections.The only funding the town would get is about $7,000 per year to train the fire department in case something goes wrong.Three other solar farms had previously been accepted by the town council, with one of the now putting solar panels up.The solar farm companies seek placement around Woodland because it has an electrical substation the solar power generated by the panels can be hooked up to the electrical grid.Mary Hobbs has been living in Woodland for 50 years and said she has watched it slowly becoming a ghost town with no job opportunities for young people.She said her home is surrounded by solar farms and is no longer worth its value because of those facilities.She added that the only people profiting are the landowners who sell their land, the solar companies, and the electrical companies.edit: grammar

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 09:46:50 pm
content: What does "science teacher" mean? What is the academic training of a science teacher? A physicist, a chemist?Alexander.

author: dave_k
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 09:52:18 pm
content: Quote from: babysitter on December 13, 2015, 07:13:07 pmYes!

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2015, 09:57:10 pm
content: Quote from: firewalker on December 13, 2015, 09:46:50 pmAt my high school, one physics teacher had a degree in biology, and another had a degree in history.

author: v8dave
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 12:09:04 am
content: What did she teach? The Science of Stupid?That is a real *faceplam* moment for sure.

author: Cubdriver
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 12:16:04 am
content: Quote from: dave_k on December 13, 2015, 09:52:18 pmIt's got electrolytes!

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 12:29:28 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 13, 2015, 08:24:52 pmEveryone does have one. However, not all are connected and used.

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 12:44:43 am
content: QuoteHey...whatever she said worked.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 01:10:58 am
content: Quote from: mariush on December 13, 2015, 05:34:14 pmHow on earth does that sort of reasoning even happen. Just doesn't make any sense. On any level.If Ms Mann was indeed a science teacher, and those quotes are accurate, I can only surmise she must have suffered some sort of terrible brain injury, mental illness or cognitive degradation either after or as a cause of her retirement.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 01:19:20 am
content: Probably biology and natural science, obviously not physics.In any event as someone linked the roanoke decision, it wasn't because of those facts. It was explained that no cancer and no attraction of sunlight will happen, but for just a measly $7000 year to train the fire department, the town wouldn't get a thing on a town that already agreed to 3 other installations.So the article was just written as a clickbait as someone already pointed out.Although the roanoke article link is full of misspellings and hard to read.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 01:37:06 am
content: Quote from: Habropoda on December 13, 2015, 09:31:02 pmI get "Access to website blocked" on the URL, so I guess the bait has been widely taken.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 01:42:27 am
content: Here is what the article linked by Habropoda says regarding the science teacher.http://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/2015/12/08/woodland-rejects-solar-farm/QuoteShe is only saying that in the near by plants, we don't know the type of plants she mentions that are beautiful and need more sun.Without chemicals or sheep to eat the grass or vegetation barriers they will end up with something like this:Cancer links? probably not, but we don't know the details of what she was referring to.But the quote "People come with hidden agendas" you can bet she is right about that as well as seeing no profit for the town.Edit: maybe it's linked to the unproper disposal of damaged panels. But she got no answers, but without knowing where she got the cancer numbers its all speculation.There has been links to cancer and High Voltage power lines, maybe there is harmful RF, or EMF? near those facilities?Don't know, just trying to partially defend some old lady that people are picking on.

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 02:53:32 am
content: What the actual ?

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 04:15:07 am
content: It's probably a hoax article---the 'Net is full of them!

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:11:08 am
content: .... words escape me.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:21:25 am
content: Quote from: miguelvp on December 14, 2015, 01:42:27 amThat looks like they used a dumb spraying scheme for herbicide between the panels, and didn't check the place very often. It does raise a good question, though. Enough light falls between the panels to grow at least some grass. Would it be better to let that grass grow and feed sheep, or are sheep too eager to climb for panel damage to be avoidable?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:26:46 am
content: Sheep wouldn't climb the panels - they'd just pull the plants down through the gaps. Goats, however, might try jumping up on them.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:41:09 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on December 14, 2015, 05:26:46 amBack in the day,in WA & SA,they used to run goats with the sheep.The goats showed the sheep how to stand up on their back legs & eat mulga leaves.There are still a lot of feral goats in NW WA.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:43:35 am
content: Quote from: vk6zgo on December 14, 2015, 05:41:09 amSo, as long as the sheep aren't particularly well informed sheep things should be OK. I knew education wasn't good for everyone.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 06:15:13 am
content: The power of collaboration!

author: Galenbo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 08:43:40 am
content: In the article: Another "opinion", on the same level as the climate-changer's religion.Both sides "invented" by the same guys, to keep the funds filled,and to provide an easy "argument" when talking to climatechange-sceptics."You don't believe this new climate alarm? Here's an article hahaha"

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 09:55:07 am
content: Quote from: coppice on December 14, 2015, 05:21:25 amNo, what actually happened here, is they sucked together all the sun, but since they only have like 10-15% efficiency, the rest of the sun rays dropped down like a rock to the plants directly under them. If you would shot a wider picture, you would see that there isnt a single tree in that solar farm, the panels killed them, collecting all the sun!

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 10:02:07 am
content: This is stupidity to a new level. And its not even April 1.http://www.theage.com.au/environment/un-climate-conference/us-town-rejects-solar-farm-after-residents-say-it-would-suck-up-the-sunlight-20151213-glmqa6.htmlThe concerned citizen is a retiredscienceteacher?I think there are other reasons why young people move away from Woodland, and it has nothing to do with solar panelsLets assume there is a large populated city urban area where all house roofs have 100% coverage by solar panels. Would there be any temperature or ambient light difference in that city at street level with the solar panels than without the solar panels? Of course, but the difference would be unnoticeable and probably difficult to measure due to the variety of other environmental factors which have a far greater impact of ambient light and temperature. Houses would be cooler mainly because on the shade the panels provide to the roof material and the poor thermal conductivity between the panels and the roof material, not because the the light absorbtion by the panels themselves.Agree/disagree?

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 10:08:52 am
content: Lets assume there is a large populated city urban area where all house roofs have 100% coverage by solar panels. Would there be any temperature or ambient light difference in that city at street level with the solar panels than without the solar panels? Of course, but the difference would be unnoticeable and probably difficult to measure due to the variety of other environmental factors which have a far greater impact of ambient light and temperature. Houses would be cooler mainly because on the shade the panels provide to the roof material and the poor thermal conductivity between the panels and the roof material, not because the the light absorption by the panels themselves.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 10:16:44 am
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on December 14, 2015, 09:55:07 amTime for a kickstarter?Produce both electricity and crops!We can warranty the plants under our panels will get 85-90% solar energy due to our solar panels assuring they get that much.Stretch goal: we are going to partner with batteroo and Ubeam, not only we can increase the solar output by 800% but also convert it via sophisticated ultrasound tech so that your trees and vegetation around our farm are not affected by the collection of all the rays.Kidding aside, I can't find electromagnetic field studies on large solar arrays (600MW and higher), concerned? nope, at least not while it's not in my backyard.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 10:17:38 am
content: Taking the absolute extreme, as the solar panels are removing heat in the form of energy, and more efficiently reflecting and radiating heat than roof tiles, It would in practice reduce the local thermal energy amount during the day, and more importantly, reduce the air buffer from all the radiating heat off the roof tiles at night, meaning both days and nights would be a little cooler, (marginal, but remember it only takes 2 degrees to stuffThen again by the same merit similar things would happen if everyone converted to a grass or moss roof, it consumes intake energy and better reflects the remaining heat and light,Science teacher could be understandable, but in the wrong order of magnitude, heck she could have taken this veiw because she knew people around her barely understand it enough that that would click with the local idiots,

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 11:48:11 am
content: QuoteSheep grazing seems to work fine on the UK ones.Edit: Should probably be 'under' rather than 'on'.

author: JazzHarper
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 03:48:13 pm
content: It is widely accepted that the quality of education in segregated, rural, black public schools in the late '50s and early '60s was poor. However, to hold the generation of people who received that education up for international ridicule is the height of bigotry.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 04:07:46 pm
content: Quote from: v8dave on December 14, 2015, 12:09:04 amthe bible.

author: firewalker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 04:31:15 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on December 14, 2015, 04:07:46 pmTrololololol.Alexander.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2015, 05:14:01 pm
content: Its all over the net now:Woodland, NC, Rejects Solar Farms Because They "Suck up all the energy from the sun"http://www.inquisitr.com/2631007/woodland-nc-rejects-solar-farms-because-they-suck-up-all-the-energy-from-the-sun/To think the council rejected the rezoning because a resident stated that is ludicrous.They already accepted three of them, one being built already.Only $7,000 year for the town.Power will go directly to the power grid and would not reduce the town's power bills.It will take the last remaining side of the electrical substation.Also if you read the original article the person is not even quoted, it was the reporters understanding.The original article says:QuoteSo maybe he was paraphrasing the guy since he didn't quote him. But other articles do quote him citing the original article as the source.In any event, even if that one person said that, I'm pretty sure the council didn't reject the zoning because the farm would suck up all the energy.But people fall for sensational headlines all the time so I guess we all share "the stupid".

author: Bob F.
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 12:40:48 am
content: So basically, a town turned down an application for a solar farm on the reasonable grounds that there was nothing much in it for them other than another eyesore and the internet is full of the two people with thinking difficulties at a meeting of dozens of other people who actually made the decision.Gosh, it's almost like you can't trust what you read any more...

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 03:57:39 am
content: Of course,the Independent" is a highly credible ,serious publication.After all,look at these other headlines:-"Brompton Cemetery mausoleum believed to be a time machine"&"Anatomical expert reconstructs Christ's face using ancient skulls"In reality,there is nothing the "Great British Public" likes more than a story which makes out "foreigners"(particularly Americans) to be stupid.On the other hand,nobody ever went broke overestimating the gullibility of said "public",hence the other two stories!

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 07:18:40 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 15, 2015, 04:46:37 amThe point is not about Christianity--it is whether by looking at some other blokes who lived in the same area as Jesus,at around the same time,they can "reconstruct" His face.(see,I used a capital "H",to keep believers happy)OK,Jesus would have almost certainly have had brown skin,dark hair & brown eyes.I don't really think that is a great surprise to any of us,but,even in a group of people of close ethnicity,there arethousands of different faces---that's one of the ways we recognise people.In the context of the Independent's other stories,(remember the mausoleum time machine?),I call BS on that story,too.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 09:14:44 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 15, 2015, 04:46:37 amI thought that was the motto of the Americans not the Chinese.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 09:26:13 am
content: Its not that EEs & techs generally dislike Christians (or any other major religion). There are a number of highly skilled Jesuits and Salesians in the field. After all, the use of rigorous logical reasoning and a capability for strong belief in the intangible is more or less essential for anyone getting deeper into EEE theory. A large amount of patience is also an asset.Its just that, in my experience, we have a low tolerance for God-botherers and outright contempt for psuedo-scientific cultists and kooks. Not only do they annoy, they are also usually 'hard of thinking'. In the workplace, one's actions should be a witness to one's faith, not a load of blather and a stack of pamphlets.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 09:46:25 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on December 15, 2015, 09:40:13 amI think he was implying that China is now the country with the upper hand.

author: pickle9000
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 10:03:08 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on December 14, 2015, 04:07:46 pmHit that nail on the head. "Bible science"

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2015, 11:12:22 am
content: Here's Snopes' take on the matter:http://www.snopes.com/north-carolina-town-rejects-solar-panels/