More chocolate teapots!

[Oldgreybeard]

Lots of solar been going up around here over the past year or two on farms. Just about every big farm building locally is now covered in panels. Beats me why they haven't done the same on some of the industrial estates, as they are similar construction to farm buildings and would seem to be a better bet, in that industrial estates tend to have beefy grid connections.

[Mart]

Lots of solar been going up around here over the past year or two on farms. Just about every big farm building locally is now covered in panels. Beats me why they haven't done the same on some of the industrial estates, as they are similar construction to farm buildings and would seem to be a better bet, in that industrial estates tend to have beefy grid connections.

I wondered the same about industrial estates, but was told there's a big problem in the UK due to the amount of such structures that are leased, not owned. Don't know if that's true, but if it is, does explain a lot.

Off on a bit of a tangent, but I've always thought that farms were ideal for PV, since they have large buildings with large roofs, then combine that with electric farm equipment as it rolls out, given the huge fuel costs for farming. I kinda imagine something like the Ryobi cordless toolsets, where a farm only buys perhaps 2or 3 swappable battery packs, then transfers them from vehicle to vehicle as needed, with perhaps one on charge during the day. I'm basing this imaginary scenario on the fact that farms (farmers) have both the heavy plant and skills needed for battery swapping. So farms growing their own 'fuel' too, perhaps?

Anyway, back to reality.

[chris_n]

We used to have enough problems keeping water out of the roof structure without drilling extra holes to mount panels.

[Oldgreybeard]

Off on a bit of a tangent, but I've always thought that farms were ideal for PV, since they have large buildings with large roofs, then combine that with electric farm equipment as it rolls out, given the huge fuel costs for farming. I kinda imagine something like the Ryobi cordless toolsets, where a farm only buys perhaps 2or 3 swappable battery packs, then transfers them from vehicle to vehicle as needed, with perhaps one on charge during the day. I'm basing this imaginary scenario on the fact that farms (farmers) have both the heavy plant and skills needed for battery swapping. So farms growing their own 'fuel' too, perhaps?

Anyway, back to reality.

There was a big electric tractor at a farm show nearby, earlier this year. Not sure what the spec was but there were crowds gathered around it all day, so it was certainly attracting attention. Tractors seem to be ideal as EVs, especially coupled with farms that have lots of generation on site.

[AE-NMidlands]

There was a big electric tractor at a farm show nearby, earlier this year. Not sure what the spec was but there were crowds gathered around it all day, so it was certainly attracting attention. Tractors seem to be ideal as EVs, especially coupled with farms that have lots of generation on site.

...and equipment like fork-lift or stacker trucks to allow easy exchange of big batteries. One battery on the tractor working out in the field, one on charge mopping up the daytime generation. Quick trip out to the field for the handler when an exchange is needed.

[Bugtownboy]

We used to have enough problems keeping water out of the roof structure without drilling extra holes to mount panels.

Everything down here is ‘solar farms’ with Gert Big ground mount stuff. What it means to agricultural productivity - no idea.

Even travelling down the M5/A303 you see how much has been installed.

Whilst not minimising the opportunity on existing farm buildings for PV, the PV industrialisation of some of the agricultural land down here, in July observation, is significant.

[Mart]

Off on a bit of a tangent, but I've always thought that farms were ideal for PV, since they have large buildings with large roofs, then combine that with electric farm equipment as it rolls out, given the huge fuel costs for farming. I kinda imagine something like the Ryobi cordless toolsets, where a farm only buys perhaps 2or 3 swappable battery packs, then transfers them from vehicle to vehicle as needed, with perhaps one on charge during the day. I'm basing this imaginary scenario on the fact that farms (farmers) have both the heavy plant and skills needed for battery swapping. So farms growing their own 'fuel' too, perhaps?

Anyway, back to reality.

There was a big electric tractor at a farm show nearby, earlier this year. Not sure what the spec was but there were crowds gathered around it all day, so it was certainly attracting attention. Tractors seem to be ideal as EVs, especially coupled with farms that have lots of generation on site.

That's remined me of a one year old article on a smallish electric tractor:

Solectrac launches new 70 HP, 60 kWh electric tractor for $75,000

There is also an option to add a swappable 60 kWh battery pack for another $18,000.

[Oldgreybeard]

I'm not sure that replaceable batteries are needed, TBH. I was brought up on a farm and we very rarely fuelled much of the machinery more than once every few days. The exception would be the combine, that was fuelled every day during the harvest, but tractors got fuelled every now and again, as they spend almost their entire working time at low power, not much more than an idle, except when ploughing. It'd be different for contractors, as they often drive long distances at road speeds, but even then I doubt they'd need to swap battery packs. JCB have electric diggers that run all day on a charge, and electric fork lifts have been able to do this for decades. I doubt it uses a lot of power to drive at maybe 10 to 15mph all day long, even with stuff being driven from the PTO.

[Mart]

I'm not sure that replaceable batteries are needed, TBH. I was brought up on a farm and we very rarely fuelled much of the machinery more than once every few days. The exception would be the combine, that was fuelled every day during the harvest, but tractors got fuelled every now and again, as they spend almost their entire working time at low power, not much more than an idle, except when ploughing. It'd be different for contractors, as they often drive long distances at road speeds, but even then I doubt they'd need to swap battery packs. JCB have electric diggers that run all day on a charge, and electric fork lifts have been able to do this for decades. I doubt it uses a lot of power to drive at maybe 10 to 15mph all day long, even with stuff being driven from the PTO.

Very true, but I was thinking that one battery could be charging from on-site PV, whilst the vehicles are in use during the day. Plus the cost of vehicles would be less if they came without a battery, but could share. However I don't know how that fits into the real world and how many different vehicles are owned at any one time, so it may be a silly idea.

[Mr Gus]

As per what OGB said.
On the farm kit can lie fallow for a great deal of time then work like the blazes come hauling times, such is the nature of nature.

In harvest season (crop dependent) it can be dawn till late at night beating weather, moisture etc, so swap out of batteries, he they solar & mains assist combo would be essential, farmers borrow kit, & tag team drop harvesting depending on what is in rotation & pesky weather / breakdowns.

Regionally different needs year by year, so it's a hard call as to spare battery on the farm given the 225k + cost of a modern mega tractor, transporting & loaning a battery to a neighbour needs some thought to get folk off diesel & into electric, regionally & via local nfu the farmers would all be one ear to the ground forming opinions of the new tech & bumps in the road.