The economy in the United Kingdom has gone through difficult times in recent years and, for that matter, still is for many people. So, any way that people can improve their income levels is to be welcomed.
Solar Panels
(image credit: mrsdkrebs)
The farming sector is no different so Ronald Davison from High Elms Farm in Cowlinge, near Newmarket feels that solar panels could provide a useful source of income especially if the agricultural industry were to have a particular bad year. A plan to install in excess of 100 solar panels on farmland at ground level has been sent to St Edmundsbury Borough Council for consideration.
It is the view of Mr Davison that the 108 solar panels could produce an additional income over the following 25 years and that the potential return could exceed that of what could be achieved by leaving the monies in the bank. Having said that, with interest rates so low on instant access savings accounts, it should not be difficult to obtain a superior return elsewhere.
He also felt that at some point in the future the European Union might want the carbon emissions emanating from farm machinery to be offset. He felt that it might be that an increasing number of farmers will look at green energy as a way forward in the future.
There are already a number of solar panels located on the roof of a grain store that provide capacity of 18kw but the proposed new installation will provide a further 50kw of capacity. The solar panels, if approval were forthcoming from the borough council, would be located in a field that has no other properties overlooking it. It is expected that the solar panels will provide enough energy not only for their own use but any spare will be transferred to the National Grid.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) is supportive of renewable energy opportunities.
