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WrongSubFools t1_irur36y wrote

Reply to comment by Extremely-Bad-Idea in Solar Rollout Rouses Resistance in Europe’s Countryside: Regulations meant to protect green space block the installation of solar panels despite soaring energy prices by CannoliIntoPussy

No, green spaces do not absorb much (or any) CO2 / release much oxygen. Yes, they take in some carbon and turn it into grass, but what happens to the grass? It's eaten or decays and is turned back into CO2. That is the balanced carbon cycle (the creation and burning of fossil fuels exists outside the balanced carbon cycle). The backlash against developing green spaces isn't about environmentalism, as environmentalism says the solar farms are good. It's about preserving a location because people like looking at it.

There is simply not enough roof space in all of Europe to meet solar goals. The article mentions this. Banning people from building solar plants on undeveloped land hugely limits solar's growth potential.

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Shot-Job-8841 t1_irus2av wrote

Solar panels over the water actually helps fight droughts, but it can be slightly more expensive.

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Orange_Tulip t1_iruy57t wrote

A lot of that carbon can actually be absorbed into the soil with good practices. Also, have you seen the massive flat roofs in business parks? All those big warehouses have plenty of space still. Let them strengthen the roof and place them there. There's no reason to build on fertile land yet. Keep land that's good for food production in production. Keep land that's good for biodiversity as wildlands. We're going to need both in the future.

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WrongSubFools t1_iruzrch wrote

"Massive" is a relative term. Solar farms are hundreds of acres and occasionally even bigger than that, and the goal is to build solar farms bigger than we've ever made before.

Or, well we can say that solar power isn't a priority. But we can't say "we need solar power to avert the apocalypse" and also "oh, but let's only put panels so they cover ugly places."

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Tacky-Terangreal t1_iruww5z wrote

So putting panels on every roof in Europe wouldnt meet solar energy goals. What a joke. Mainstream environmentalists would crawl across broken glass before admitting that nuclear is the superior, carbon-free energy source

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