#solarfarms — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #solarfarms, aggregated by home.social.
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Byron Donalds Throws Support Behind Nuclear Power if Elected Governor · The Floridian
Congressman and Florida gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds (R-FL) advocated support for nuclear power to increase Florida’s energy production…
#Nuclear #byrondonalds #hydrogenpower #JamesFishback #JayCollins #nuclear #nuclearpower #PaulRenner #Republicanprimary #smallmodularreactors #SMRs #solarfarms
https://www.europesays.com/2989553/ -
Start up claims it can collect solar energy in space, convert it to near-infrared, and beam it to large earth based solar farms at night to help power data centers.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/27/meta-inks-deal-for-solar-power-at-night-beamed-from-space/ #Electricity #SolarPower #DataCenters #Infrared #OverviewEnergy #SpaceCraft #Satellites #Space #SolarFarms -
Lithuanian solar energy scheme costs Estonia’s Eesti Energia €25 million | News
Due to Lithuania’s solar electricity exchange scheme, Eesti Energia incurred a €25 million loss in the Lithuanian market…
#Lithuania #LT #Europe #Europa #EU #Enefit #Lietuva #lithuania #naujienos #solarfarms #solarpower #Sunly
https://www.europesays.com/2945972/ -
Lithuanian solar energy scheme costs Estonia’s Eesti Energia €25 million | News https://www.byteseu.com/1960647/ #enefit #Lithuania #SolarFarms #SolarPower #sunly
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https://www.europesays.com/videos/14701/ Llama sanctuary fearing the worst after TB outbreak | ITV News West Country (West) #boxing #Bristol #Chippenham #Gloucestershire #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #SolarFarms #stalking #Wiltshire
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https://www.europesays.com/videos/14199/ Teachers who were stalked online by a pupil still feel the impact | ITV News West Country (West) #boxing #Bristol #Chippenham #Gloucestershire #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #SolarFarms #stalking #Wiltshire
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https://www.europesays.com/videos/13386/ Huge solar farm plans provoke strong feelings | ITV News West Country (West) #boxing #Bristol #Chippenham #Gloucestershire #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #SolarFarms #stalking #Wiltshire
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A #startup called #ReflectOrbital wants to launch thousands of mirror-bearing #satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night and "power #solarfarms after sunset, provide lighting for rescue workers and illuminate city streets, among other things"
The company is seeking #FCC approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering #solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/climate/space-mirror-satellite-solar.html
https://archive.ph/NrtU4 -
A #startup called #ReflectOrbital wants to launch thousands of mirror-bearing #satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night and "power #solarfarms after sunset, provide lighting for rescue workers and illuminate city streets, among other things"
The company is seeking #FCC approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering #solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/climate/space-mirror-satellite-solar.html
https://archive.ph/NrtU4 -
A #startup called #ReflectOrbital wants to launch thousands of mirror-bearing #satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night and "power #solarfarms after sunset, provide lighting for rescue workers and illuminate city streets, among other things"
The company is seeking #FCC approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering #solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/climate/space-mirror-satellite-solar.html
https://archive.ph/NrtU4 -
A #startup called #ReflectOrbital wants to launch thousands of mirror-bearing #satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night and "power #solarfarms after sunset, provide lighting for rescue workers and illuminate city streets, among other things"
The company is seeking #FCC approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering #solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/climate/space-mirror-satellite-solar.html
https://archive.ph/NrtU4 -
A #startup called #ReflectOrbital wants to launch thousands of mirror-bearing #satellites to reflect sunlight onto Earth at night and "power #solarfarms after sunset, provide lighting for rescue workers and illuminate city streets, among other things"
The company is seeking #FCC approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering #solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/climate/space-mirror-satellite-solar.html
https://archive.ph/NrtU4 -
The original article from Science, published in 2024:
Massive #SolarFarms could provoke rainclouds in the desert
Updrafts from dark solar panels could fuel storms—an alternative to #CloudSeeding
6 Feb 2024
Excerpt: "Branch and his co-authors wanted to see whether solar farms of more realistic sizes could alter the weather. To do so, they turned to a leading weather model, produced by the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research, that can account for land surface changes. They modeled the solar farms as nearly black fields that absorbed 95% of the incoming sunlight. When the solar farms exceeded 15 square kilometers, they found, the increased heat absorbed at the surface, contrasted with the relatively reflective sand surrounding them, appreciably increased the updrafts, or convection, that drive cloud formation.
"Just hacking convection wasn’t enough, however: A source of atmospheric moisture is also needed. The model showed that moist, high-altitude winds from the Persian Gulf would suffice. When conditions were ripe, the model found, a 20-square-kilometer solar field would increase rainfall by nearly 600,000 cubic meters—equivalent to 1 centimeter of rain falling across an area the size of Manhattan. If such rainstorms occurred 10 times in one summer, they would provide enough water to support more than 30,000 people for a year.
"The new work makes sense, and it’s 'very stimulating,' Lu says. 'They are targeting a real solution.” One concern, however, is that the simulated solar panels were darker than most manufacturers make them. Some current solar panels are even reflective, designed to cool their surroundings, Lu says.
"Still, Branch is hopeful that the idea could at some point be tested in the real world. Solar farms coming online in China and elsewhere are nearly big enough, he says. If they were built in the right spots, it wouldn’t take much to darken the panels as much as possible, and to plant drought-tolerant darkening #crops, such as jojoba shrubs, between panel rows."
Read more:
https://www.science.org/content/article/massive-solar-farms-could-provoke-rainclouds-desert -
(1/?)
@TechConnectify a few points about the corn ethanol vs. solar farm comparison;
According to permaculturist David Blume, author of Alcohol Can Be a Gas, corn is one of the lowest yield/acre ethanol feedstocks. The only reason it's used for fuel is that it's massively overproduced. Because of corn farming subsidies that started in the 1930s, and were increased in the 1980s.
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"Australian-owned company FNSF Ltd in partnership with offshore investment company Aquila Capital has applied for consents to build a 180.8 hectare industrial solar farm in the beautiful Waipara Valley."
https://savewaiparavalley.com/
(1/2)
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"Using some mapping we found that the rooftops of 14 of Auckland's largest buildings would have the same land area as the largest solar farm under construction [in Aotearoa]. So we could potentially be distributing those solar panels in our city ..."
#PriscilaBesen, AUT, 2024
https://95bfm.com/bcast/the-green-desk-energy-and-architecture-24th-september-2024
#podcasts #95bFM #GreenDesk #energy #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #SolarFarms
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#GolfCourses Use More Land Globally Than #Solar or #WindEnergy
Story by Mihai Andrei, February 25, 2025
"The land use of #RenewableEnergy is often criticized in public and political debates. However, a new study shows that something as frivolous as golf courses use up more land globally than solar or wind energy. Golf courses, which often serve a small number of #AffluentPeople, are also terrible for the #environment and use up a lot of #water and resources.
Competition for space
"The lush greenery you see on golf courses is a well-maintained lie. Golf courses use enormous amounts of water — sometimes in regions already facing shortages. Maintaining that flawless grass also means heavy reliance on #fertilizers and #pesticides, which seep into local waterways, harming# wildlife and #polluting #ecosystems. To make it even worse, golf courses are apparently competing with renewable energy for space.
"Every acre we allocate to one use is an acre less for another. Currently, more than 38,400 golf courses span the globe, occupying vast stretches of valuable land. Surprisingly, researchers from Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich found that countries (especially richer countries like the US, the UK, and Canada) dedicate far more land to golf courses than to #SolarFarms or #WindTurbines.
"Let’s put this into perspective. If you take the golf courses in just the top ten golfing countries and convert them into renewable energy, you’d get an extra 842 gigawatts (GW) of solar or 659 GW of wind capacity. And to put that into perspective, that’s more than the entire quantity of renewable energy these countries produce and are forecast to have for a few years.
Replacing golf courses with something more useful isn’t a new idea, it’s already happening in some areas. In Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, an entire golf course now hosts 260,000 solar panels, generating 125 gigawatt-hours annually. Meanwhile, in South Korea, 'screen golf,' indoor simulated golfing experiences, provide a popular, space-efficient alternative to traditional courses."
Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/general/golf-courses-use-more-land-globally-than-solar-or-wind-energy/ar-AA1zHvIE
#Renewables #RenewablesNow #GolfCourses #WaterIsLife #Rewilding #WindTurbines -
"Elsewhere in the state, tracts of old-growth oak have been clearcut to make way for utility-scale solar farms."
#CharlesEisenstein, 2023
https://charleseisenstein.substack.com/p/how-the-environmental-movement-can
WTSF?!?
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"Elsewhere in the state, tracts of old-growth oak have been clearcut to make way for utility-scale solar farms."
#CharlesEisenstein, 2023
https://charleseisenstein.substack.com/p/how-the-environmental-movement-can
WTSF?!?
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"Elsewhere in the state, tracts of old-growth oak have been clearcut to make way for utility-scale solar farms."
#CharlesEisenstein, 2023
https://charleseisenstein.substack.com/p/how-the-environmental-movement-can
WTSF?!?
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"Elsewhere in the state, tracts of old-growth oak have been clearcut to make way for utility-scale solar farms."
#CharlesEisenstein, 2023
https://charleseisenstein.substack.com/p/how-the-environmental-movement-can
WTSF?!?
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So #LithiumBattery fires at #SolarFarms are a thing. And NOT a good thing (toxic releases when #Lithium burns). Considering that and all the pollution, water usage, environmental destruction and potential cultural genocide from #LithiumMining (since many places rich in lithium are where #Indigenous peoples live and worship), we should figure out lithium alternatives ASAP! Yes, we should go #solar, #wind, #tidal, #geothermal, etc., but only after considering ALL of hazards -- and not just give into #Greenwashing hype, which is all about making a buck and #Capitalism -- not real, sustainable, solutions!
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There used to be a joke about how #SolarFarms were immune to fires and explosions (as opposed to #NuclearPowerPlants). But a quick search revealed that those do happen -- but the cause is usually the #LithiumIon batteries, not the solar panels!
#SolarFarm fire in Upstate New York sends possible #toxic smoke billowing into surrounding community
July 27, 2023 / 10:52 PM EDT / CBS News
New York - "Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an advisory Thursday night due to potentially toxic smoke billowing from a #BatteryFire at a solar farm burning near the Canadian border."
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The '#EnvironmentallyFriendly alternative' way #Dominion Energy is cutting 40 acres of grass 'every few days'
By: Ellen Ice
Posted 9:01 AM, Aug 03, 2024CHESAPEAKE, Va. — "At #SolarFarms in #Chesapeake and #VirginiaBeach, Dominion Energy has found an alternative option to a lawn mower; this one has hooves.
"'It’s an environmentally-friendly alternative, it’s innovative, it’s creative and they do a great job,' said spokesperson Tim Eberly. 'They can eat about 40 acres of grass and vegetation every few days.'
"The flock of 300 sheep and 180 lambs is tended to by a shepherd, along with guard dogs and herding dogs.
“'Our guardian dogs are with the sheep all the time," said Jess Gray with Gray's #Lambscaping. 'They protect the flock when we are not around.'"
[..]
"The goal of the project is to keep the grass below the panels to maximize output. At Bedford #SolarFarm in Chesapeake, one of the sites where the sheep currently graze, the energy generated powers 17,500 homes."
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Cutting #forests for #SolarEnergy ‘misses the plot’ on #ClimateAction
By Matthew Lynch
July 26, 2024"As the world grapples with the urgent need to address #ClimateChange, the transition to renewable energy sources is often presented as a silver bullet. Solar energy, in particular, is championed for its potential to reduce #GreenhouseGas emissions and provide a sustainable alternative to #FossilFuels. However, a disturbing trend is emerging: in the quest to establish new solar farms, some regions are cutting down forests, raising questions about whether these actions truly serve the cause of climate action.
The Dilemma of Land Use
"The push for solar energy has led to significant land-use changes across the globe. In some cases, this has meant the clearing of large forested areas to make way for solar installations. Proponents argue that converting forest land into solar farms can produce clean energy and reduce dependency on non-renewable sources. However, this perspective overlooks the critical role that forests play in the global climate system.
"Forests act as vital #CarbonSinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their biomass and soil. When these forests are cleared, not only is this carbon storage capacity diminished, but the act of deforestation itself releases stored carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. In essence, the emissions produced by cutting down trees can offset the climate benefits of the solar energy generated on that land for years, if not decades.
#Biodiversity Concerns
"Beyond carbon emissions, cutting forests for solar farms poses a significant threat to biodiversity. Forests are home to a multitude of species, many of which are already endangered due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activity. The conversion of these habitats into solar farms disrupts ecosystems and can lead to local extinctions. The loss of biodiversity has far-reaching consequences, affecting ecosystem services such as #pollination, nutrient cycling, and #water purification, all of which are crucial for human survival.
A Holistic Approach to #RenewableEnergy
"The key to achieving meaningful climate action lies in adopting a holistic approach to renewable energy development. Rather than viewing solar energy installations solely through the lens of energy production, it is essential to consider the #environmental and #social implications of land-use decisions. This includes prioritizing #brownfield sites, such as abandoned buildings, #industrial lands, and degraded areas, where solar installations can occur without harming forests and other critical #ecosystems.
"Moreover, a combination of strategies should be pursued to maximize the benefits of solar energy while minimizing ecological impact. This could involve integrating solar panels into existing structures, promoting community solar projects, and investing in research on #agrovoltaics, which combines #agriculture with solar energy generation. Such approaches can help meet energy needs while preserving #NaturalLandscapes and promoting #biodiversity."
Read more: https://www.thetechedvocate.org/cutting-forests-for-solar-energy-misses-the-plot-on-climate-action/
#SolarFarms #SolarEnergy #RenewablesNow #EnergyStorge #Brownfields #SaveTheForests #IndustrialSites #SolarSundays
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#RhodeIsland's largest #landfill #SolarFarm now online
Story by Kate Wilkinson
July 27, 2024BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) — "Nearly 21,000 solar panels at the Bristol Transfer Station are now turning sunlight into power.
"And at more than 90 acres, it’s now the largest landfill solar farm in the state.
"Laura Frazier, the managing director of business development and strategy at NuGen Capital, said the site is expected to generate 8.7 million kilowatt hours each year.
"To put that in perspective, Frazier said a gas-powered car would have to drive 9 million miles to offset that much green energy, which is the equivalent of driving 375 times around the Earth.
"A ribbon cutting was held Thursday to celebrate the panels officially being connected to the grid. Frazier said the panels would create enough energy to power 700 homes.
"But Frazier said that green energy will actually be allocated to Toray Plastics, which the #NorthKingstown-based company bought out for the next 25 years.
"While Frazier said it can be more expensive to build on a landfill, the location has its perks.
"For example, a landfill offers a lot of open space, which she said means they don’t have to clear out any trees to install the panels.
"The project also didn’t face any opposition.
"'It doesn’t bother the neighbors,' she said. 'It’s not easily seen by any of them.'
"She also said the project received widespread support from local leaders.
"After eight years of planning, she’s finally glad to see this project come to life."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ri-s-largest-landfill-solar-farm-now-online/ar-BB1qHDuE
#SolarFarms #SolarEnergy
#RenewablesNow #Brownfield #BristolRhodeIsland #SolarSundays -
In a #Cleveland suburb, this old #CoalPlant will soon be replaced by a massive #SolarFarm
Inside Climate News
July 26, 2024"#CoalFired power plant that started running more than a century ago is about to get a long-overdue retirement, and its electricity will be replaced by a solar farm and a #BatteryStorage system on an existing #brownfield.
"The project in #PainesvilleOhio, a suburb of Cleveland, is one of about two dozen clean energy and emissions-reduction initiatives across the country that are sharing $4.3 billion in funding announced on Monday by the #BidenAdministration.
"It was a happy day for Doug Lewis, Painesville’s city manager. He and his colleagues have been considering how to close the city-owned power plant and replace it with a cleaner alternative. They also have wanted to redevelop the site of a long-shuttered #chemical factory near the shores of Lake Erie.
"The federal government will now pay about $80 million to install solar and batteries on the former factory land and to beautify the rest of the brownfield by planting a #meadow of #wildflowers and constructing a #BikeTrail. The trail will provide a connection between Painesville and a regional trail that runs along the lake.
[...]
"The solar farm will have capacity of 35 megawatts and the battery storage system will have capacity of 10 megawatts. It will be capable of running for three hours at that level before recharging.
"The new construction will be on land that once was home to the Diamond Shamrock Corp. chemical plant, which operated there from 1912 to 1977 and occupied about 1,100 acres. The plant’s products included baking soda, chromium compounds, and hydrochloric and sulfuric acids.
"Since the site closed, the community and the federal government have gone through the slow and trying process of removing #pollutants to make it site safe for redevelopment.
The current project can serve as a case study for many things, including regional cooperation. Painesville, in Lake County, worked with officials in neighboring Cuyahoga County and the Cleveland city government to file an application with the federal government that included #RenewableEnergy projects for all of them."
#SolarFarms
#RenewablesNow
#RenewableEnergy
#LocalEnergy
#NoNewNukes
#NoNukes #Ohio #Bicycles #BikePaths #GreenSpace #Reclamation #SolarSundays -
More of this, please...!
Feds pick #Hanford #nuclear site for massive #SolarFarm
By Conrad Swanson
July 25, 2024"While Washington struggles to contend with surging demand for electricity, federal officials on Thursday announced plans for a massive solar farm on the Hanford nuclear site.
"The U.S. Department of Energy is negotiating a real estate deal with Chicago-based #HecateEnergy, which would build a solar farm across 8,000 acres of federally owned lands on the heavily #polluted site.
"If built as planned, the project would have the ability to generate up to a gigawatt of renewable energy, and would rank among the largest solar installations in the country. That’s about enough energy to power half of Seattle City Light’s customers during record peak demand.
"The project would also include #battery storage, which is a critical component that allows electricity generated by solar power to be used at times when the sun isn’t shining.
"Producing #RenewableEnergy at the #HanfordSite would mark a substantial new chapter for the land.
"The site covers 560 square miles, nearly half the size of Rhode Island, said Sean O’Brien, executive director of the renewable nonprofit Energy Forward Alliance. For decades, the government made plutonium for nuclear weapons there.
"Despite its history — and contamination — large swaths of the site are not #radioactive, O’Brien said. And local organizations like his and the Tri-City Development Council share a vision for the place to be a national hub of clean energy generation.
"The solar array and battery storage would make up just one portion, albeit a large one, of the site’s renewable energy potential, Reeploeg and O’Brien said.
"The partnership between federal officials and Hecate — representatives for which could not immediately be reached for comment — could sidestep major hurdles these types of massive projects face, said Glenn Blackmon, manager of Washington’s Energy Policy Office."
#SolarFarms #SolarEnergy #RenewablesNow #EnergyStorge #Brownfield #WashingtonState #SolarSundays
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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Scientists test #agriculture and #SolarEnergy on #Illinois #farms
Two experiments in the state are measuring which crops could grow well under these panels.
By Juanpablo Ramirez-Franco
Jul 18, 2024, 2:58pm EDT"Thousands of #wildflowers are blooming under rows of solar panels in eastern Illinois. #Milkweeds, #BlackEyedSusans and native #PrairieGrasses catch the sunlight that streams past solar panels on one end of this 54-acre property near Champaign.
"'Obviously, this setting is not perfect for the farming system,' D.K. Lee, a professor of crop sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said about the narrow space between solar panel arrays.
"But this experimental station called #SolarFarm 2.0 could help UIUC scientists determine whether the marriage between Midwestern agriculture and solar power will be a happy one. Researchers are piloting how crops such as grains and #soybeans used primarily to feed livestock grow with solar panels obstructing their full view of the sun. The counterintuitive practice is called #agrivoltaics, a nascent industry that partners solar developers looking for large plots of land and farmers looking to make additional income.
"That’s why two parallel experiments are underway here to find out what can grow and thrive under solar panels. To hit the ambitious clean energy targets set by state and federal officials, solar power will have to increase close to seven times over current capacity by 2035. That will mean millions of acres devoted to solar power — many of which could be in America’s #farmlands. But to make sure that agricultural communities aren’t left behind by the clean energy transition, scientists want to know what it will take for life to persist beneath solar panels — potentially a first step for farmers and solar power to co-exist.
"'We can only farm about 70% of the land here,' said Bruce E. Branham, professor of horticulture at UIUC. 'So we’ve got 30% of the land that would be farmed in full sun that is just vacant.'
"But in just two years and despite physical constraints, initial findings suggest that the #sorghum grain could be a promising crop to grow alongside solar panels. Branham said that so far it appears that combining sorghum with solar panels has resulted in a 59% increase in efficiency. And wildlife, including #birds and #bees, are flocking to the improved habitat. It’s a good start, but there’s still ways to go before solar farms like these are generating serious energy.
"'This is a 54-acre site, and we’re getting 12 megawatts,' Banham said. 'A lot of power plants are much, much greater than that.'
"In all, Solar Farm 2.0 produces close to 1% of the generating power of the #ClintonPowerStation, a #NuclearPowerPlant just a 45 minute drive east. But for Banham and others, this presents an opportunity to combine Midwestern row crops with solar power to generate enough energy to compete with #FossilFuels and other clean energy alternatives."
#SolarPunkSunday #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy #NoNewNukes #NoNukes #SolarFarm #SaveTheFarms #IllinoisFarms #MidwestFarms #SolarSundays #Agrivoltaic
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Another #SolarFarm project is underway for the #Groveville section of #BuxtonMaine -- near an existing power distribution line. That could power nearby towns!
There were concerns about the nearby waterways, but those were addressed, and there will be a forest buffer for wildlife to cross.
Little River Solar Project
Submitted on August 24, 2020Summary
"BWC Little River, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Little River Solar Project, an approximately 5.81-megawatt DC solar array project located on Groveville Road. The project will be located on portions of five parcels (Map 7, lots 1, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E) consisting of 19.04 acres of open fields and woodlands. The project will connect to an existing Central Maine Power distribution line on Groveville Road and will provide community distributed electric generation. The property is in the Village, Residential and Rural Districts."
https://www.buxton.me.us/planning-board/agenda-items/little-river-solar-project-0
#Maine #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy
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Another #SolarFarm project is underway for the #Groveville section of #BuxtonMaine -- near an existing power distribution line. That could power nearby towns!
There were concerns about the nearby waterways, but those were addressed, and there will be a forest buffer for wildlife to cross.
Little River Solar Project
Submitted on August 24, 2020Summary
"BWC Little River, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Little River Solar Project, an approximately 5.81-megawatt DC solar array project located on Groveville Road. The project will be located on portions of five parcels (Map 7, lots 1, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E) consisting of 19.04 acres of open fields and woodlands. The project will connect to an existing Central Maine Power distribution line on Groveville Road and will provide community distributed electric generation. The property is in the Village, Residential and Rural Districts."
https://www.buxton.me.us/planning-board/agenda-items/little-river-solar-project-0
#Maine #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy
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Another #SolarFarm project is underway for the #Groveville section of #BuxtonMaine -- near an existing power distribution line. That could power nearby towns!
There were concerns about the nearby waterways, but those were addressed, and there will be a forest buffer for wildlife to cross.
Little River Solar Project
Submitted on August 24, 2020Summary
"BWC Little River, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Little River Solar Project, an approximately 5.81-megawatt DC solar array project located on Groveville Road. The project will be located on portions of five parcels (Map 7, lots 1, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E) consisting of 19.04 acres of open fields and woodlands. The project will connect to an existing Central Maine Power distribution line on Groveville Road and will provide community distributed electric generation. The property is in the Village, Residential and Rural Districts."
https://www.buxton.me.us/planning-board/agenda-items/little-river-solar-project-0
#Maine #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy
-
Another #SolarFarm project is underway for the #Groveville section of #BuxtonMaine -- near an existing power distribution line. That could power nearby towns!
There were concerns about the nearby waterways, but those were addressed, and there will be a forest buffer for wildlife to cross.
Little River Solar Project
Submitted on August 24, 2020Summary
"BWC Little River, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Little River Solar Project, an approximately 5.81-megawatt DC solar array project located on Groveville Road. The project will be located on portions of five parcels (Map 7, lots 1, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E) consisting of 19.04 acres of open fields and woodlands. The project will connect to an existing Central Maine Power distribution line on Groveville Road and will provide community distributed electric generation. The property is in the Village, Residential and Rural Districts."
https://www.buxton.me.us/planning-board/agenda-items/little-river-solar-project-0
#Maine #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy
-
Another #SolarFarm project is underway for the #Groveville section of #BuxtonMaine -- near an existing power distribution line. That could power nearby towns!
There were concerns about the nearby waterways, but those were addressed, and there will be a forest buffer for wildlife to cross.
Little River Solar Project
Submitted on August 24, 2020Summary
"BWC Little River, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Little River Solar Project, an approximately 5.81-megawatt DC solar array project located on Groveville Road. The project will be located on portions of five parcels (Map 7, lots 1, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1E) consisting of 19.04 acres of open fields and woodlands. The project will connect to an existing Central Maine Power distribution line on Groveville Road and will provide community distributed electric generation. The property is in the Village, Residential and Rural Districts."
https://www.buxton.me.us/planning-board/agenda-items/little-river-solar-project-0
#Maine #SolarFarms #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #LocalEnergy
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[Paywall] $25M #SolarFarm proposed for #BuxtonMaine
A Boston-based company wants to place solar panels on 119 acres on Haines Meadow Road near Mark P. Emery Road.
AMERICAN JOURNAL • June 30, 2020
"A $25 million, 119-acre solar farm capable of lighting up every household in town and then some is proposed for Buxton. #GlenvaleSolar of Boston wants to start construction next year on the Emery Meadow Solar Station off Haines Meadow Road in the vicinity of Mark P. Emery Road. The company has two other Maine projects in the permitting process, in West Baldwin-Hiram and Topsham."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/06/30/25m-solar-farm-proposed-for-buxton/
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[Paywall] $25M #SolarFarm proposed for #BuxtonMaine
A Boston-based company wants to place solar panels on 119 acres on Haines Meadow Road near Mark P. Emery Road.
AMERICAN JOURNAL • June 30, 2020
"A $25 million, 119-acre solar farm capable of lighting up every household in town and then some is proposed for Buxton. #GlenvaleSolar of Boston wants to start construction next year on the Emery Meadow Solar Station off Haines Meadow Road in the vicinity of Mark P. Emery Road. The company has two other Maine projects in the permitting process, in West Baldwin-Hiram and Topsham."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/06/30/25m-solar-farm-proposed-for-buxton/
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[Paywall] $25M #SolarFarm proposed for #BuxtonMaine
A Boston-based company wants to place solar panels on 119 acres on Haines Meadow Road near Mark P. Emery Road.
AMERICAN JOURNAL • June 30, 2020
"A $25 million, 119-acre solar farm capable of lighting up every household in town and then some is proposed for Buxton. #GlenvaleSolar of Boston wants to start construction next year on the Emery Meadow Solar Station off Haines Meadow Road in the vicinity of Mark P. Emery Road. The company has two other Maine projects in the permitting process, in West Baldwin-Hiram and Topsham."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/06/30/25m-solar-farm-proposed-for-buxton/
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[Paywall] $25M #SolarFarm proposed for #BuxtonMaine
A Boston-based company wants to place solar panels on 119 acres on Haines Meadow Road near Mark P. Emery Road.
AMERICAN JOURNAL • June 30, 2020
"A $25 million, 119-acre solar farm capable of lighting up every household in town and then some is proposed for Buxton. #GlenvaleSolar of Boston wants to start construction next year on the Emery Meadow Solar Station off Haines Meadow Road in the vicinity of Mark P. Emery Road. The company has two other Maine projects in the permitting process, in West Baldwin-Hiram and Topsham."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/06/30/25m-solar-farm-proposed-for-buxton/
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[Paywall] $25M #SolarFarm proposed for #BuxtonMaine
A Boston-based company wants to place solar panels on 119 acres on Haines Meadow Road near Mark P. Emery Road.
AMERICAN JOURNAL • June 30, 2020
"A $25 million, 119-acre solar farm capable of lighting up every household in town and then some is proposed for Buxton. #GlenvaleSolar of Boston wants to start construction next year on the Emery Meadow Solar Station off Haines Meadow Road in the vicinity of Mark P. Emery Road. The company has two other Maine projects in the permitting process, in West Baldwin-Hiram and Topsham."
https://www.pressherald.com/2021/06/30/25m-solar-farm-proposed-for-buxton/
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'This is our best option:' #Maine farmers turn to #SolarEnergy due to #contaminated fields
Story by Brad Rogers
7/25/2024ARUNDEL (WGME) – "#PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, have been nothing short of disastrous for hundreds of #Mainefarmers.
"It's ruined their land, made their cattle, milk and eggs unsafe to eat and left many farmers with serious health problems.
"'This farm has been in our family since 1914,' #FredStone, whose #Arundel farm was contaminated with PFAS, said.
"Stone was a third-generation dairy farmer in Arundel until forever chemicals were discovered in his fields, #WellWater, cows and milk.
"The pollution came from spreading #wastewater #sludge on his farm after the state told him it was safe.
"#MaineDEP has identified more than 500 sites where sludge was applied to farmland as #fertilizer.
"In 2017, Stone was the first farmer in the state to have his dairy farm and his pasture shut down due to #PFAScontamination.
"To make up for it, the state offered to buy his farm, but he refused to walk away.
"'We’re not in the farm selling or land selling business,' Stone said. 'Given what options we had left, that brought us to the solar thing.'
"He's been working with #WaldenRenewables to build a solar array on 100 acres of his contaminated farm.
"'It's their best alternative, but for some of these landowners, it's hard to kind of accept the change that they're facing,' Dale Knapp of Walden Renewables said. 'This is an injection of revenue that they desperately need.'
"This week, the Maine Public Utilities Commission [#MainePUC] approved new rules, paving the way for solar development on PFAS-polluted farms.
"'The Act provides that the commission must give a primary preference to projects that are located on contaminated lands,' Carrie Gilbert of the Maine PUC Commission said.
"'This is our best option,' Stone said. 'So reluctantly, very reluctantly I guess, that’s what we ended up having to do.'
"Stone plans to sign a 30-year lease for the solar array.
"After that, his farm may still be contaminated with forever chemicals, but 30 years is a long time for someone to come up with a solution.
"'That might mean that generational farm just goes on pause,' Knapp said. 'And the next generation may have the opportunity to return it to being a family farm someday.'
"'I’m very bitter,' Stone said. 'This is not the way we wanted to see this go. Yeah, I would love to see it continue on as a farm of some kind but damn the state of Maine for putting me in this position.'"
#MaineFarms #SolarFarms #ContaminatedFarmland #Reuse #SolarFarm #RenewablesNow #RenewableEnergy #PFOA #WaterIsLife #PFOS #PFASContamination #WaterPollution #PFASPollution #PTFE #Wildlife #Cancer #Contamination #Chemicals #Environment #GenXChemicals
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The #OlympicsGamesVillage #Paris2024 #France
A #moderncommunity that will be used as a #business and #residential #econeighbourhood after the Games.
Source : #Olympics
#future #recyclablematerial #plantbasedmeals #solarfarms #renewableenergy -
I blogged: https://unasserted.com/the-paradox-of-progress-solar-farms-and-the-cost-of-green-energy/
#GreenEnergy #SolarFarms #RenewableEnergy #EnvironmentalImpact #SustainableFuture #EnergyTransition #Conservation #NaturalLandscapes #SolarPower #EcologicalBalance #RenewableResources #EnvironmentalEthics #SolarTechnology #GreenProgress #EcoFriendly
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I blogged: https://unasserted.com/the-paradox-of-progress-solar-farms-and-the-cost-of-green-energy/
#GreenEnergy #SolarFarms #RenewableEnergy #EnvironmentalImpact #SustainableFuture #EnergyTransition #Conservation #NaturalLandscapes #SolarPower #EcologicalBalance #RenewableResources #EnvironmentalEthics #SolarTechnology #GreenProgress #EcoFriendly
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I blogged: https://unasserted.com/the-paradox-of-progress-solar-farms-and-the-cost-of-green-energy/
#GreenEnergy #SolarFarms #RenewableEnergy #EnvironmentalImpact #SustainableFuture #EnergyTransition #Conservation #NaturalLandscapes #SolarPower #EcologicalBalance #RenewableResources #EnvironmentalEthics #SolarTechnology #GreenProgress #EcoFriendly
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I blogged: https://unasserted.com/the-paradox-of-progress-solar-farms-and-the-cost-of-green-energy/
#GreenEnergy #SolarFarms #RenewableEnergy #EnvironmentalImpact #SustainableFuture #EnergyTransition #Conservation #NaturalLandscapes #SolarPower #EcologicalBalance #RenewableResources #EnvironmentalEthics #SolarTechnology #GreenProgress #EcoFriendly
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The #MarMenor lagoon in SE Spain has been polluted to the point of making it unsafe to bathe in. The marine ecology is screwed. Damage has crept up over the last ~30 years & is mostly down to overintensive farming on the #CampoDeCartagena plain. Tipping point has just been reached & now intensive farming in the lagoon's watershed is banned. What to do with the land? Surely #solarfarms would be ideal? Not according to the #facha #vox party.
#renewableenergy
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.laopiniondemurcia.es/comunidad/2024/01/18/vox-propondra-reforma-instalar-plantas-97036988.amp.html