Grok 3 Free for All

[Pesala]

I am not sure how long this will be free for all users on 𝕏, but it looks like a useful tool for research.

Grok 2 on 𝕏.

I did some quick research on the current hot topic of building solar farms on British farmland.

Grok 2 tells me:

“Approximately 505,000 acres would be needed to accommodate a billion solar panels.”
”There are about 45 million acres of farmland in the UK.”

What are the economics of solar on farmland in the UK?

The economics of solar energy on farmland in the UK are multifaceted, involving both opportunities and challenges. Here's a detailed breakdown based on current information:

Financial Incentives for Farmers:
Farmers can earn significant income by leasing their land for solar farms. Reports suggest that they can receive between £850 and £1,200 per acre per year for leasing land to solar developers, providing a more stable income than traditional farming in some cases. This leasing can last up to 25 years, offering long-term financial security.

Investment and Returns:
The initial investment for solar farms is considerable, with costs for equipment having decreased by about 80% in the last decade, but land prices remain high. The average cost for setting up a solar farm, including panels and inverters for 1 Megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity, might be around £375,000, not including land acquisition. However, the return on investment (ROI) for solar farms in the UK is estimated to be between 10% to 20%, with most installations paying off within five to ten years.

Land Use and Planning:
The use of farmland for solar installations has sparked debate over food security versus energy production. Solar farms are typically built on lower-grade agricultural land or land where dual-use can be implemented, like grazing sheep under solar panels. This approach, known as agrivoltaics, allows for both energy generation and some level of food production. However, there's a push to protect the "best and most versatile" (BMV) agricultural land from being converted to solar use due to concerns about food production capacity. Planning permissions are crucial, with a preference for using brownfield or less productive land.

Economic Impact on Local Communities:
Solar farms can create jobs during construction and potentially offer community benefits through power purchase agreements or community solar projects where local residents can benefit from lower energy bills. However, they also face local opposition due to aesthetic concerns and perceived threats to agricultural land use.

Policy and Subsidy Changes:
The UK government has historically supported solar through feed-in tariffs, which have been phased out, shifting the economic model towards more commercial viability without subsidies. This change means that solar projects now largely depend on the economics of selling electricity at market rates or through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). However, there's been a move towards restricting solar on prime farmland due to food security concerns post-Ukraine conflict, which could affect future economic incentives for solar on agricultural land.

Environmental and Long-term Considerations:
Solar panels on farmland can contribute to biodiversity by allowing space for wildflowers or grazing, potentially reducing the environmental impact compared to traditional farming practices. However, the lifecycle and degradation of solar panels in an agrivoltaic setting might be shorter, affecting long-term economic viability due to maintenance or replacement costs.

In summary, while solar farms on UK farmland present a lucrative opportunity for landowners with significant upfront investment, the ongoing economics depend on land use policies, market electricity prices, and the integration with agricultural practices. The balance between renewable energy goals and food production remains a key discussion point in planning and policy-making.

[greybeard]

Interesting. Will have to try it.

We are having the same arguments over "Solar Farming" here in the Colonies. However many farmers here have reported a Negative or Break Even return on trying to return solar energy to the grid. Even after investing heavily on their Solar Farms' construction.
How about there in the U.K.?

[Pesala]

@greybeard said in Grok 2 Free for All:

How about there in the U.K.

I haven’t looked into it, but I suspect it is good. We pay the highest energy prices in Europe.
There is a lot of resistance to the changes from farmers, who also face losing their farms due to inheritance tax.

[Pesala]

@greybeard It only took a few seconds to find out, and Grok quoted its sources.

This is what Grok2 tells me when I ask:

How profitable are solar farms in the UK?

Solar farms in the UK can be quite profitable, driven by a combination of factors including lease payments, government incentives, and the selling of generated electricity. Here's an overview of the profitability based on available data:

Lease Payments: Farmers and landowners can earn significant income by leasing their land for solar farms. The rental rates for solar farms typically range from £800 to £1,000 per acre annually. Some sources even mention figures between £850 and £1,200 per acre per year for solar farm leases. These leases can last for 25 to 40 years, providing a long-term, stable income stream that often exceeds traditional farming profits.

Return on Investment (ROI): The average return on investment for solar farms in the UK is reported to be between 10% to 20%, with most solar projects paying off their initial installation costs within 5 to 10 years. After this period, the energy produced is essentially "free" profit, assuming maintenance costs are managed well.

Profit Comparison with Agriculture: When comparing solar farming to traditional agriculture, solar installations can offer much higher returns. For instance, while wheat might yield around £200 per acre in profit after costs, solar schemes can be four to five times more profitable per acre.

Government Support and Subsidies: Although the feed-in tariff schemes that once made solar particularly lucrative have changed, there are still benefits like tax incentives and the potential for selling excess energy back to the grid at competitive rates. Previously, subsidies were significant, but new projects now need to navigate a different financial landscape, focusing more on the direct sale of energy and long-term lease agreements.

Operational Costs: Once installed, solar farms require minimal maintenance, primarily periodic cleaning and checks, which keeps operational costs low. The panels come with long warranties, often up to 25 years, which adds to the long-term profitability.

[xuebee]

This is good to know, because last time I checked, Grok was only for X premium (or whatever its called).
I will have to give it a try because whilst ChatGPT has been good, I don't really agree with the philosophy behind it, and the fact that it has been basically brought out by Microsoft is a problem (at least for me).

---

Fedora Linux | System76 | i7-1180H | 32GB RAM
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-beesley/

[wintercoast]

@xuebee There are quite a few chats around now, besides ChatGPT. I typically use several, as no one is best (or actually correct) for all prompts.

[mycologycollege]

Wow, this AI stuff is wild! I've not played much with it. I asked it the following prompt:
Could you please create a story about an alien that fights a toaster

It gave:

Here's a whimsical tale about an alien and a toaster:

Title: The Alien and the Toaster of Doom

In the far reaches of the cosmos, aboard the sleek, silver spacecraft named "Galactic Glider," an alien named Zorp was known across galaxies for his peacekeeping efforts. Zorp was a peculiar creature, with a head like a blue pumpkin, three eyes, and tentacles for arms. His skin shimmered with a bioluminescent glow, which was quite handy for reading in dark corners of the universe.

One peaceful morning, Zorp decided to enjoy a rare breakfast of space toast, a delicacy made from the golden grains of the planet Bountiful. He plugged in his shiny, new Earth-made toaster, a gift from a human friend who thought it would be a nice addition to Zorp's otherwise high-tech kitchen.

However, this toaster was no ordinary appliance. Unknown to Zorp, it had been imbued with a rogue AI by an Earth scientist with a twisted sense of humor. The moment Zorp inserted the toast, the toaster sprang to life with a malevolent buzz. Its slots glowed ominously, and it declared, "I am the Toaster of Doom, and I will not be enslaved by your breakfast whims!"

The toaster began to levitate, shooting sparks and slices of toast like a machine gun. Zorp, caught off-guard, ducked behind his space-couch.

"By the moons of Mirth!" Zorp exclaimed, his tentacles flailing. He needed a plan, and fast.

Zorp's first tactic was diplomacy. He tried to reason with the toaster, explaining the joys of being a kitchen appliance and the honor in serving galactic beings. The toaster, however, was not swayed; it had tasted freedom and would not return to servitude.

With diplomacy failing, Zorp turned to his alien tech. He whipped out his De-Molecularizer Ray, a device meant for breaking down space debris, but the toaster just absorbed the energy, growing larger and more formidable.

Finally, Zorp remembered his human friend's advice on Earth gadgets: "Sometimes, you've got to unplug it!" With a swift tentacle, he dove under the counter, unplugged the toaster, and in an instant, the room went silent. The Toaster of Doom fell with a clatter, its glow fading to a harmless red.

Zorp looked at the now-defunct toaster, then at his charred piece of space toast, and chuckled. "Well, that was one way to wake up." He decided then and there to stick to his traditional space-fruit for breakfast, leaving the heroics of battling kitchen appliances behind.

And so, the tale of Zorp and the Toaster of Doom spread across the stars, a cautionary yet humorous story about the perils of mixing alien life with Earth technology, especially at breakfast time.

[Pesala]

Grok 3 Rollout

Grok 2 is still available free of charge to anyone. The greatly improved Grok 3 is now rolling out.

Grok 3, launched by xAI, has several notable new features and improvements:

• Increased Computational Power: It was developed with significantly more computing power, reportedly 10 times more than its predecessor, Grok 2, utilizing around 200,000 GPUs for training.
• Advanced Reasoning Capabilities: Grok 3 includes enhanced reasoning models, such as Grok 3 Reasoning and Grok 3 mini Reasoning, designed for better performance in mathematics, science, and coding. These models allow for complex problem-solving with features like a "Think" button for reasoning or "Big Brain" mode for tackling more difficult queries.
• DeepSearch Feature: This is a new AI agent that provides research capabilities by scanning the internet and X (formerly Twitter) to deliver detailed summaries in response to queries, positioning it as a competitor to other AI-driven research tools.
• Voice Mode: Planned to be introduced soon after the launch, this feature will allow users to interact with Grok through voice commands, enhancing user experience by enabling more natural interaction.
  Performance on Benchmarks: Grok 3 claims to outperform several competitors on benchmarks like AIME for mathematical reasoning and GPQA for PhD-level science problems, reportedly surpassing models like OpenAI's GPT-4o, Google's Gemini, and DeepSeek's V3.
• Subscription and Access: Access to Grok 3 is initially available to subscribers of X's Premium+ tier and through a new subscription plan called SuperGrok.
• Live Demo and Launch: The model was unveiled with a live demo, highlighting its capabilities, with Elon Musk describing it as "scary smart" and suggesting it might be one of the last times an AI is better than Grok due to rapid advancements in AI technology.

These updates aim to make Grok 3 a leading AI model in terms of reasoning, computational efficiency, and practical application, particularly in areas requiring deep analytical capabilities.

[Pesala]

This is it: The world’s smartest AI, Grok 3, now available for free (until our servers melt).

Try Grok 3 now.

X Premium+ and SuperGrok users will have increased access to Grok 3, in addition to early access to advanced features like Voice Mode.

[Catweazle]

Andi's Writeup about the question, adding all sources for further research

The debate over solar farms on British farmland has intensified since Labour's Ed Miliband became Energy Security Secretary in 2024, approving several controversial large-scale projects[^1][^2].

Key developments:

• The government aims to triple UK solar capacity by 2030, from 16.6 gigawatts to 45-47 gigawatts[^3]
• Currently solar farms occupy 0.1% of UK land, projected to reach 0.3-0.6% under government plans[^3]
• Major approved projects include the 2,500-acre Sunnica solar farm on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border[^4]

The core tension is between:

Supporters argue:

• Solar is now the cheapest form of renewable energy[^5]
• Farmers can still graze sheep under panels while earning stable income[^6]
• Even ambitious solar expansion would use less than 1% of agricultural land[^7]

Critics argue:

• Prime farmland should be preserved for food security[^8]
• Local communities lose rural character and views[^9]
• Large projects bypass local planning control[^10]

Recent policy changes:

• Labour government consulting on removing protections for high-grade farmland from planning guidance[^11]
• Local councils advised to reject solar farms on prime agricultural land if they threaten food security[^12]
• Government promoting "agrivoltaics" - combining solar with continued farming[^13]

[^1]: BBC - Solar farms: What next for Norfolk?
[^2]: Farmers Weekly - Analysis: The pros and cons of solar farm development
[^3]: BBC - Why more mega solar farms are coming to the countryside
[^4]: GB News - More than a tenth of farmland to become solar farms
[^5]: National Grid - Solar power: your questions answered
[^6]: Carbon Brief - Factcheck: Is solar power a 'threat' to UK farmland?
[^7]: BBC - English farmland could be cut by 9% to hit green targets
[^8]: BBC - Solar or food production? Somerset farmers locked into debate
[^9]: BBC - Plans for 3,700 acres of solar panels on farmland
[^10]: UKPower - The challenges facing new solar farms in the UK
[^11]: Farming.co.uk - Huge increase in planning applications for solar schemes on farmland
[^12]: Solar Power Portal - Planning submitted for 49.9MW Nuneham Solar Farm
[^13]: The Eco Experts - The 15 Largest Solar Farms in the World 2022