US town rejects solar panels amid fears they 'suck up all the energy from the sun'

[Rob L 3,811]

A retired science teacher said she was concerned the panels would prevent plants in the area from growing

• Samuel Osborne
• 12 hours ago

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.html

A US town has rejected a proposal for a solar farm following public concerns.

Members of the public in Woodland, North Carolina, expressed their fear and mistrust at the proposal to allow Strata Solar Company to build a solar farm off Highway 258.

During 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.

The area around Woodland is a popular choice because it has an electrical substation allowing the panels to be hooked up to thenational grid.

A spokesperson for Strata told the meeting: "There are no negative impacts. A solar farm is a wonderful use for a property like this."

They added: "The panels don't draw additional sunlight."

The council voted three to one against rezoning the land and later voted for a moratorium on future solar farms.

Speaking after the COP-21 summit on climate change in Paris pledged to limit global warming below the threshold of 2°c, Pope Francis said the plan will require "a concerted and generous commitment" from everyone.

Experts said a move towards renewable power, with investment in wind and solar energy, will be required to cut down on emissions.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Oh boy! Where did she teach?????

[Rob L 3,811]

Oh boy! Where did she teach?????

Why, do you think we should do a recall on her students?

[Expat1 971]

Knew a girl awhile back who was just like those solar panels.

[Jacque67 7,328]

Knew a girl awhile back who was just like those solar panels.

She caused cancer??

[Expat1 971]

Does cancer completely drain one of all energy?

[lostinblue 1,989]

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.

Three other solar farms had previously been accepted by the town council, with one of the now putting solar panels up

[Jacque67 7,328]

Does cancer completely drain one of all energy?

Depends on the type. In my case, no.

[Dakine10 5,452]

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.

Three other solar farms had previously been accepted by the town council, with one of the now putting solar panels up

The towns highest recorded population was 861 in 1980. Can't have been that many opportunities to begin with.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

The town just needs a munitions plant and discount firearms shop and their economy will boom.

[Rob L 3,811]

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.

Three other solar farms had previously been accepted by the town council, with one of the now putting solar panels up

i dont know NC tax structure, but improvements to the land should improve the assessed value and the property taxes generated. I don't know what was on those lands that would have been lowered by Solar Panels.