A success story from Uruguay

[grassfarmer]

Not about throwing away the internal combustion engine and replacing it with solar power. I just see the opportunity to replace our electricity generation using solar. On farmland around here there is easily 20 acres per quarter that is unseedable and is not wetland. Why not have it covered with something that's doing something for you. Could be another way for farmers to earn income from those acres.

[biglentil]

Current PV solar panels are around 12% efficient in converting the suns energy into electricity. Until the are above 50% efficient and price comes down they are not practical imo. The real game changer will be moderately priced roofing material that is also a PV solar.

[vvalk]

Grassfarmer. What about all the energy needed to create the solar panels? What happens with them when they are old and out dated. The amount of panels you talk about would be enormous. Just like windmills. Mohave you seen the amount of concrete that goes into the ground and all the old rusty windmills that don't work anymore. Just like electric cars, by the time you figure all the energy that went into the resources that build batteries. Shipped over to China the shipped back and then the battery is garbage a few years later. Never mind where the power comes from to charge them. Realistically we will move away from fossil fuels but let's be realistic about it

[mustardman]

Southern Alberta and Sask are some of the best spots for Solar in the industrialized world.

Way more sunshine than Germany ,who uses a big percentage of solar
Geo thermal here would work great ,just need someone that can Drill holes in the ground.
Tom4g3, is there anyone in Alberta that can drill Holes in the ground?

[grassfarmer]

vvalk, have you ever thought about all the stuff that is used in conventional energy production? It all has to be produced and replaced when it rusts so that is a false argument.
Solar panels have come on in leaps and bounds in terms of being longer lasting, more efficient and way cheaper.

[Klause]

lets cover ground in man made synthetic material, shade the ground thus preventing grass or trees, or you know other plant type things that turn CO2 into oxygen and sugars from growing so we can have more energy.

Or... we can build a few dams and use water... HMM....

Not to mention all the birds that end up dead.

[bucket]

As most of you know lake diefenbaker defines saskatchewan.

But there could be 3 more between the existing lake and the mountains.

And a hydro dam on each one.

That's recyclable energy.

It's a cascading effect.

[TOM4CWB]

And then... drum roll

We can irrigate and grow 30-50 percent more vegetation... make nh3 from electricity and biomass to carbon bank even more c02...

A little QE... say 500B$cdn... should do the trick... and put the Cdn$ at 50cents?

Just think... $15 Canola and 10$ wheat!!! How can we loose!!!

[bucket]

Nope, irrigation is a huge expense to taxpayers.

I live near the highest subsidized farmers in this country and maybe the world.

Recreation would be a better return on investment.

[grassfarmer]

Klause, you don't need to cover the ground with panels - think in terms of 8 acres supplying electrical needs of 250 homes. How many of you big scale farmers don't have more than 8 acres that is currently waste land or growing weeds or around the edges of your bin yards? Can't you see the potential revenue stream from this?

So Bucket are these most subsidized neighbours milking cows or raising chickens eggs or turkeys? Another myth shattered.

[farmaholic]

I could see shallow coal beds being the result of plant and animal life but oil? What is it? A byproduct of heat and chemical reactions below the surface of the earth? Maybe it is a slowly produced renewable resource... I guess as long as we don't use the reserves faster than the earth can produce new product. Maybe there is alot more below the zones they're working in and likely reserves that haven't been found.

Now where is that hat?
[URL=http://photobucket.com/]/URL]

There they are...

[farmaholic]

Is oil actually "gases/vapor" that condensed as they reached a point below the earths surface that was too cool to maintain their gaseous state?

Maybe like a still....
Too much Christmas cheer?

[farming101]

Farmaholic, do you think anyone would think it strange if I wear my tinfoil ballcap to the auctions next spring?

Always with the negative waves!

<a title="Kelly's Heroes" href="https://youtu.be/ncbEucjsNFU">Kelly's Heroes</a>

[farmaholic]

Belly laugh....always with all the negative waves....

Sounds like the accuser is an eternal optimist who lives in denial. Doesn't like hearing the truth....

Wear your tinfoil hat to this spring's auctions with pride.....it might help you from falling into the trance caused by the auctioneer's chant, hand gestures, glance and ESP.... SAVE yourself thousands of dollars.