# The Hydro, Wind, Solar Farm and Renewable Energy generation baggers thread.



## Drago (7 Apr 2021)

Much like the most excellent Trig Baggers thread, this is a thread for you to post up details - and hopefully photos - of your bike at as many of these renewable energy sites as possible.

Here's an interactive map to help you out.

https://www.mygridgb.co.uk/map/


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## classic33 (7 Apr 2021)

There's a 28 year old one nearby up for sale. Only £4,500,000.


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## HMS_Dave (7 Apr 2021)

classic33 said:


> There's a 28 year old one nearby up for sale. Only £4,500,000.


Good deal if it comes with a large house and a couple of Hectares of land. 

I didn't realise i had not only 1 solar farm near me, but 3! The clouds must just be above my house... Just up the road near HMP Sudbury there's 7!

I never knew.


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## classic33 (7 Apr 2021)

HMS_Dave said:


> Good deal if it comes with a large house and a couple of Hectares of land.
> 
> I didn't realise i had not only 1 solar farm near me, but 3! The clouds must just be above my house... Just up the road near HMP Sudbury there's 7!
> 
> I never knew.


No house, built on a bog, access is iffy and there's access disputes. Oh and only one customer, just under two miles away, with 15 miles of cable between the two.


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## Drago (21 Apr 2021)

Visited on foot, as I'm not riding at the moment for medical reasons.

The M1 Wind Farm, south of the village of Roade. When I used to commute id go this way.on my MTB in the good weather.

Not exactly month Everest, but at about 130M or so ASL it's the highest point between there and the North Sea, which means the wind whips in (doubtless why it was built there) and it's blummen chilly.


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## Edwardoka (21 Apr 2021)

If I had an off-road capable bike I would absolutely win this thread. Whitelees is just up the road, and at 215 turbines it would take a fair bit of time to visit them all.


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## Drago (21 Apr 2021)

Sounds like you have a good reason for a walk Ed!


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## gavroche (21 Apr 2021)

Edwardoka said:


> If I had an off-road capable bike I would absolutely win this thread. Whitelees is just up the road, and at 215 turbines it would take a fair bit of time to visit them all.


I could challenge you on this one as there are hundreds offshore here , between Prestatyn and Rhos on Sea and more are being planned to start in 2022 off Llanfairfechan. There is no way I am going to swim there to take pictures.


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## RoubaixCube (21 Apr 2021)

classic33 said:


> Oh and only one customer, just under two miles away, with 15 miles of cable between the two.



Probably just enough amperage to charge a mobile phone by the time it gets to the end of that 15miles


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## numbnuts (21 Apr 2021)

No wind mills, but quite a few solar farm in my area


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## classic33 (21 Apr 2021)

RoubaixCube said:


> Probably just enough amperage to charge a mobile phone by the time it gets to the end of that 15miles


19 of the largest/tallest turbines in the country.


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## Tribansman (21 Apr 2021)

2 for the price of 1...






Very near Grafham Water.


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## RoubaixCube (21 Apr 2021)

classic33 said:


> 19 of the largest/tallest turbines in the country.



It was a joke.

Copper as good of a conductor of electricity as it can be. The longer the cable, the more electrical resistance and signal degradation it faces unless it runs into a booster or signal repeater box part way to boost or repeat the signal so it can carry on to where it needs to go.


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## classic33 (21 Apr 2021)

RoubaixCube said:


> It was a joke.
> 
> Copper as good of a conductor of electricity as it can be. The longer the cable, the more electrical resistance and signal degradation it faces unless it runs into a booster or signal repeater box part way to boost or repeat the signal so it can carry on to where it needs to go.


More a publicity stunt for a "green/eco" school than anything. 
20 years before any cables were laid.


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## snorri (21 Apr 2021)

Drago said:


> Here's an interactive map to help you out.


The map is not much help, many of the proposed sites have never come to fruition and some of the working sites have been proposed and constructed since the map was last updated.


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## Alex H (22 Apr 2021)

Solar Farm near Northumberland National Park







Wind Turbines 5km offshore at Blyth


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## Drago (22 Apr 2021)

snorri said:


> The map is not much help, many of the proposed sites have never come to fruition and some of the working sites have been proposed and constructed since the map was last updated.



Yeah, sorry Snorri. Its far from perfect but was the best I could find.


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## aferris2 (22 Apr 2021)

Found this for wind farms. This does get the Bradwell wind farm in the right place which the original link didn't. There's probably something similar for solar but couldn't find anything


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of a turbine at Longpark Wind Farm, Galashiels. 





To save you the bother of zooming in, here's a close up - 






Looking the other direction -






And a stalled turbine -





It was quite breezy. Note the bend on the turbine blade.


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## Drago (22 Apr 2021)

Rubbish photo, but I walked the other way out the village this morning and you can just make out the solar farm in the distance. This one is just North of the village of Long Street in North Bucks.






When I'm feeling a bit better I'll ride across and get some proper pics.


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of Aikengall Wind Farm, East Lothian.


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of Dun Law Wind Farm East, Scottish Borders.





This was the first local one. The turbines looked big twenty years ago, but now they look tiny compared with the more recent installations.


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of Dun Law Wind Farm West. 




The gaps between the two groups of turbines and between the two forestry plantations show the course of the roman road where it zig-zags up the hill. (They weren't all straight!)


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

This one isn't even on the map yet and the photo was taken 2019. Quixwood Moor is the nearest name to the trig point. Berwickshire.




On the horizon, above and just to the left of the trig point, are more distant turbines which are part of the Drone Hill Brockholes Wind Farm, Berwickshire. 

From the same location, looking north east towards Aikengall II Community Wind Farm on the horizon -


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of Kinegar Wind 'Farm' (it only has two turbines), Berwickshire.




With bonus nuclear power station. (Torness, East Lothian).


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## Willd (22 Apr 2021)

One of a mini farm [Low Spinney] (4 turbines) between Ashby Magna and Cotes-de-val Leicestershire


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## Drago (22 Apr 2021)

Nice work team. Keep 'em coming.


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## aferris2 (22 Apr 2021)

Here's another one. Seems to show lots of different types in addition to wind and solar. I'm not going to get a subscription though. Just clear all your cookies to view details of more than 5 sites.


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## Venod (22 Apr 2021)

On this mornings ride. https://www.banksgroup.co.uk/projects/renewables/hook-moor/


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## Mr Celine (22 Apr 2021)

My bike in front of Langhope Rig Wind Farm, Selkirkshire. 




This is as close as you can get to it on a road bike and still be able to see it.


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## Alex H (22 Apr 2021)

Middlemoor wind farm , South Charlton, nr. Alnwick


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## classic33 (22 Apr 2021)

Ovenden Moor Wind Farm, for sale.
One careless owner.


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## rualexander (22 Apr 2021)

Whitelee Windfarm back in the snowy days of winter.


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## Drago (23 Apr 2021)

Nice work tram, the thread is off to a good start. I hope to be adding a few more once I'm medically good to ride again.


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## biggs682 (24 Apr 2021)

One from this morning's ride


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## Willd (24 Apr 2021)

Winwick wind farm in December, view from Cold Ashby


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## Drago (24 Apr 2021)

Nice work team. Nice to see this inspiring you to go for a ride.


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## Mr Celine (30 Apr 2021)

This evening's ride. A solitary turbine at Birkenside Farm, Lauderdale. More of a wind smallholding than a wind farm.


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## NorthernDave (30 Apr 2021)

Two old pics, both from 2017.
The top one is Middlemoor in Northumberland, the other is Hook Moor, east of Leeds.


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## biggs682 (1 May 2021)

Wind farm between Haselbech and the A14


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## figbat (1 May 2021)

My bike in front of Westmill wind farm.


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## Drago (1 May 2021)

Nice bike Figgers. I'm guessing its a modern gravel job, bu it has a lovely look of drop barred 90s MTB about it.


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## figbat (1 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Nice bike Figgers. I'm guessing its a modern gravel job, bu it has a lovely look of drop barred 90s MTB about it.


You guessed wrong and instincted right. It’s a 1997 Trek 830 Mountain Track that I turned into a gravel bike.


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## Drago (1 May 2021)

Ah, I saw the discs but didn't look closely enough at the mounting arrangement. Its a sweet ride.


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## Richard A Thackeray (2 May 2021)

classic33 said:


> Ovenden Moor Wind Farm, for sale.
> One careless owner.
> View attachment 585239


I've run around there (Ovenden Moor Fell-Race)
Plus, driven 'over the tops' many times
Heck it doesn't seem that many years since it was a gravel & pothole road!!

The red-route







NorthernDave said:


> Two old pics, both from 2017.
> The top one is Middlemoor in Northumberland, the other is Hook Moor, east of Leeds.
> 
> View attachment 586543



There always seems to be a lot of cars parked there, whenever I ride/drive past
I've only been to them once, simply out of curiosity with wife & daughter


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## Richard A Thackeray (2 May 2021)

There's also _Royds Moor Wind-Farm_, between Whitley Road & Spicer House Lane, just to the north of Penistone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royd_Moor_Wind_Farm

I can see it from the top-floor at work
If the Sun is right, & no cloud/mist/rain, I can even see if the blades are turning!!

(Feb 2006)






Wakefield Triathlon Cub have a circuit around there, I think they use it for time--trials (not a road-race)

It gets a bit bleak up there in winter!!
(Feb 2005)


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## classic33 (2 May 2021)

Richard A Thackeray said:


> I've run around there (Ovenden Moor Fell-Race)
> Plus, driven 'over the tops' many times
> Heck it doesn't seem that many years since it was a gravel & pothole road!!
> 
> ...


It still is a dirt track down Withens New Road from Withens Road. The latter had to be upgraded to allow access to replace the turbines. One-way system saw the road from the cattle grid onwards getting some work done to allow the low loaders out.

Edited to correct road names.
Withens New Road is the older road,
Withens Road is the newer road.


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## Richard A Thackeray (2 May 2021)

classic33 said:


> It still is a dirt track down Withens Road from Withens New Road. The latter had to be upgraded to allow access to replace the turbines. One-way system saw the road from the cattle grid onwards getting some work done to allow the low loaders out.


I was thinking of the road, from Hunters Hill (MTB raced in the old quarry, back in early 90s) over to the Hebden Bridge Road

Cold Edge Road, looking at mapping
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1422941


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## Mr Celine (3 May 2021)

Can we open this out to include small-scale hydro?





Murray's Cauld, Ettrick Water, Selkirk. Two archimedes screws each producing up to 110kW. Photo from November 2019. 






A 'cauld' is a weir in the local vernacular. What the info board fails to mention under 'interesting facts' is that the river is so powerful it washed away the first attempt at constructing the turbine house....


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## Alex H (4 May 2021)

Blyth offshore Wind Farm photographed from Boulmer beach - ~40km as the gulls fly 






and from Blyth






and the last one for Blyth - in the harbour


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## Alex H (5 May 2021)

Willowburn Industrial Estate, Alnwick mini wind farm


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## weareHKR (5 May 2021)

Just for those of you who haven't been close up these things..... here's an off shore turbine blade displayed in our City Centre!


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## aferris2 (9 May 2021)

Wind farm off the coast at Whitstable


There's another one visible from here towards Faversham, but it's just a dot in the distance. Will try to get a better shot over the next few days.


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## PeteXXX (9 May 2021)

Carsington Windfarm, Manystones Lane, taken near the High Peak Trail t'other day.


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## IaninSheffield (9 May 2021)

Looking at the distant shots of offshore turbines, and that the bottom of the towers aren't visible, I'm pretty sure there must be a curvature of the Earth calculation that could be done there ...?


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## Edwardoka (9 May 2021)

IaninSheffield said:


> Looking at the distant shots of offshore turbines, and that the bottom of the towers aren't visible, I'm pretty sure there must be a curvature of the Earth calculation that could be done there ...?


If we know the height of the tower, the length of one of the blades, and how many degrees between the apparent bottom and the top from the viewer's perspective, we could make a decent guess at both the distance and how far over the horizon it is. It would be in the right order of magnitude but accuracy is complicated by atmospheric disturbances, namely the same phenomenon that causes mirages and which makes distant ships and the edges of islands appear to float on air.


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## lazybloke (9 May 2021)

Here's one near Almere, Netherlands. Pre-lockdown.
(Hmm, bike not in shot)


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## weareHKR (10 May 2021)

lazybloke said:


> Here's one near Almere, Netherlands. Pre-lockdown.
> (Hmm, bike not in shot)


Pretty sure I've been on that road a few times, used to do engineering maintenance in Lelystad, always used to have a drive around if I finished early, before heading back to Rotterdam for the ferry.
Absolutely love Holland!


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## rualexander (10 May 2021)

Sanday, Orkney.


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## ukbabz (11 May 2021)

Just outside of Shrivenham


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## IaninSheffield (13 May 2021)

Loscar Wind Farm, South Yorks


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## Drago (13 May 2021)

Nice work team.


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## Willd (14 May 2021)

Boddington


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## figbat (14 May 2021)

Just a little one, on the Harwell Science & Innovation Campus.


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## IaninSheffield (28 May 2021)

I _think_ this one is Thanet Wind Farm ... if you can make it out!


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## Mr Celine (30 May 2021)

Solitary turbine, Rennieston Farm, Roxburghshire. The line of the Roman Dere Street is behind the left field boundary.


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## Richard A Thackeray (30 May 2021)

Mr Celine said:


> Can we open this out to include small-scale hydro?



Yes, can we?


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## Drago (30 May 2021)

Yes we can! Title updated.


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## Richard A Thackeray (30 May 2021)

Drago said:


> Yes we can! Title updated.


Thankyou!


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## Richard A Thackeray (30 May 2021)

Kirkthorpe Weir Hydro-Electric
River Calder
About 2 mile downstream of Wakefield


The turbine, when it was left at Stanley Marina ('Stanley Ferry' on the Aire & Calder Navigation Canal)





Getting to see into it is problematic
















They are BIG blocks of stone!








This is the Calder in flood
(Feb 2020)







https://britishlistedbuildings.co.u...sluice-gates-warmfield-cum-heath#.YLPxIo2SnIV


https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6451212
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6448001


https://www.jnpgroup.co.uk/renewable-energy/kirkthorpe-hydropower-scheme/


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## craigwend (30 May 2021)

As posted elsewhere by me

There's fracking loads in East Yorkshire, as well as Siemens making them in a Factory in Hull, we even had a 'blade' as an art installation when Hull had City of Culture...


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## craigwend (30 May 2021)

craigwend said:


> View attachment 591357
> 
> 
> As posted elsewhere by me
> ...


Part # 2 as mentioned above...


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## biggs682 (31 May 2021)

Too misty too see the turbines


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## Oldhippy (31 May 2021)

You have to zoom in a bit for the turbines. I believe that this is the largest off shore wind farm in the UK.


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## Gravity Aided (31 May 2021)

White Oak Wind Farm, north and west of Gravity Gulch in nearly rural North Normal. I can see wind farms to my northwest, northeast, and southeast from near here.


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## craigwend (31 May 2021)

Descending order

Thirtelby, Withernwick, Routh and Tickton


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## craigwend (5 Jun 2021)

Tall Trees with Turbine







Mappleton


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## aferris2 (5 Jun 2021)

Two wind farms near Bradwell on Sea


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## Willd (6 Jun 2021)

Yelvertoft Wind Farm 16.0 MW - 8 turbines


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## Mr Celine (7 Jun 2021)

Solitary turbine, turning slowly in the breeze with a mournful clanking sound. Harden Cottage, Roxburgh / Selkirk boundary, 06/06/21.


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## Alex H (16 Jun 2021)

Solar farm near Belford, protected by St Cuthbert


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## Alex H (16 Jun 2021)

Cragside House (the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power) Archimedes' Screw


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## Willd (27 Jun 2021)

27.5 MW - Swinford Wind Farm


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## craigwend (4 Jul 2021)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-beauty-in-the-everyday.274950/post-6460582


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## biggs682 (11 Jul 2021)

Chelveston turbines earlier today


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## biggs682 (24 Jul 2021)

An old wind turbine


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## craigwend (28 Jul 2021)

Turbine Blades awaiting transportation...










Borrowed from my cousins photography pages


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## Willd (2 Aug 2021)

12.5 MW - Watford Lodge


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## craigwend (14 Aug 2021)

First Turbines I knew of in East Yorkshire [20+ years ],
ironically next to a very-very large gas installation, ~ If you look I the back ground you can just about see it... 
Also a water tower [pic 2 ]at the edge of the gas plant, would have stopped but didn't want to attract the attention of the rozzas who patrol the area...


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## IaninSheffield (18 Aug 2021)

Found a new route which took me near to Manton Wood, single 2MW turbine.


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## Drago (27 Aug 2021)

Its deceptive, but those turbins are 300 odd feet tall from ground to tip of the highest blade, and theyre far from the biggest.

Just think how redundant they'll all become when someone develops sustainable fusion!


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## Willd (18 Sep 2021)

M1 J18 4 MW, one on the right is slightly out of sync, doh


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## Willd (26 Sep 2021)

A diddy one at Norton, all on it's own


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## Drago (28 Sep 2021)

Nice bike.


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## IaninSheffield (28 Sep 2021)

Rarely use the bridleways around Clumber, but had the MTB today and took a new (to me) route. As a result spotted the Hazel Gap solar farm, largely hidden away from view on the Welbeck Estate.


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## Willd (9 Oct 2021)

12.5 MW - Kelmarsh Wind Farm


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## Willd (31 Oct 2021)

Lilbourne 10.0 MW, 2 turbines, contrast on my cheap Chinese camera is shi..rubbish, they're in there somewhere 😄


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## alex_cycles (14 Nov 2021)

Shelswell Park Solar Farm Just North of Fringford, Oxfordshire. Needs a gravel or MTB to get to it. Bridleways lead to it. There is a track past it - not quite sure if it's a bridleway or private farm track, but it isn't signed so I "assumed" it was OK to keep going. Nobody met me with a shotgun.


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## alex_cycles (15 Nov 2021)

12.5 MW - New Stone House. Near Wendlebury, Oxfordshire, just off Junction 9 of M40. Shot taken from bridge over M40. Quite a large solar installation. Can't see a lot of it in the shot.


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## Willd (27 Feb 2022)

A lone one by Priors Marston  Noisy sod when going rapidly, the sheep are either deaf or used to it


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## craigwend (14 May 2022)

craigwend said:


> Tall Trees with Turbine
> 
> View attachment 592247
> 
> ...



Sadly the trees have become diseased and had to be felled...


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## craigwend (14 May 2022)

New and old views...


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## Oldhippy (14 May 2022)




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