Ten Million Solar Roofs Act Huge Waste of Tax Dollars
By
Bob Faulkner
Feb 09, 2010 9:05 am
The cost of electric from solar PV compared to conventional methods is more than three times more expensive.
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I can’t speak to the water heater side of the equation but the electricity generation I’m very familiar with. Pictures always tell a better story, so look at the one below. What you see is the cost of residential electric power per kilowatt hour from solar photovoltaics (PV) versus conventional methods. More than three times more expensive! What’s worse, the PV estimate from Solarbuzz assumes a climate averaging 5.5 hours of sunshine per day over a year. That’s comparable to what we get in the Sun Belt states. Consequently, for the rest of us, the cost is actually higher.
If the differential between the two costs were largely the result of PV lacking economies of scale, such a program might make a little sense. But it’s not; it’s primarily a function of efficiency.
There are two basic methods for PV today: silicon-based and thin films. The silicon-based solutions tend to have the highest efficiency (about 22%-23%) but the cost of production is high because the substrate, silicon wafers, isn't cheap. Thin-film solutions have lower production costs because of lower cost substrates, but the efficiency tends to be in the high single-digits. Consequently, subsidizing 10 million more roof tops with our tax dollars isn’t going to close the cost gap. Certainly more research may but that doesn’t garner headlines or votes.
Then there’s the “green jobs” argument that parallels with this fairy tale. While it’s true that PV installers would have a field day with our tax dollars, that’s a fairly limited impact. Look at the two largest PV hardware companies -- First Solar (FSLR) and SunPower (SPWRA). Both are great companies but where do they do the bulk of their manufacturing? In Southeast Asia! First Solar has four plants in Malaysia, one in Germany and one in Ohio. SunPower has two plants in the Philippines and one in Malaysia.
And not to be forgotten in this feel-good story should be a report early last year from Spain. The Study of the Effects on Employment of Public Aid to Renewable Energy Sources notes that, since 2000, Spain spent €571,138 to create each “green job.” More importantly, “the programs creating those jobs also resulted in the destruction of nearly 110,500 jobs elsewhere in the economy, or 2.2 jobs destroyed for every 'green job' created.”When you see bills like this million-roof march, it makes you wonder what our “representatives” use for brain cells.
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2010-02-09 09:48:10
Another dumb article . . .
Solar power produces energy when and where it's needed most -- on the user side of the pole-mounted transformer. You exhibit a charming ignorance of the "Edison System" of large central generators, high-voltage transmission lines, substations and pole-mounted transformers.
The truth is that there is more energy than we need at night, when large generators are ramped down to "warm start", a costly and dirty process that takes fuel and personnel but doesn't generate any electric. To soak up this extra off-peak energy, water is often pumped up to reservoirs (such as Lake Castaic); the next day, during times of peak demand, the pumps turn into generators to meet daytime peak.
The SMALL amount, relatively speaking, of solar power makes an ENORMOUS difference: each solar system lowers the argument for a new peaker plant, which is only used 2 or 3 hours a day in summer peak. Amortization of these new plants is charged to RATEPAYERS, who get the shaft, not just by the utility company but by transmission workers and fuel suppliers.
Solar homes put up the bulk of the money to put in solar, don't take maintenance, and generate peak power. Just the small amount of solar we've put in so far has started talk, again, of the "electicity glut" and how it can be used for otherwise wasteful tasks. Too much energy? Well, that's what we have with solar power. We make enough electric to power two plug-in Toyota RAV4-EV, all our domestic electric -- and still "donated" $223 in extra electric to SCE last year.
Go back and do some studying.
The truth is that there is more energy than we need at night, when large generators are ramped down to "warm start", a costly and dirty process that takes fuel and personnel but doesn't generate any electric. To soak up this extra off-peak energy, water is often pumped up to reservoirs (such as Lake Castaic); the next day, during times of peak demand, the pumps turn into generators to meet daytime peak.
The SMALL amount, relatively speaking, of solar power makes an ENORMOUS difference: each solar system lowers the argument for a new peaker plant, which is only used 2 or 3 hours a day in summer peak. Amortization of these new plants is charged to RATEPAYERS, who get the shaft, not just by the utility company but by transmission workers and fuel suppliers.
Solar homes put up the bulk of the money to put in solar, don't take maintenance, and generate peak power. Just the small amount of solar we've put in so far has started talk, again, of the "electicity glut" and how it can be used for otherwise wasteful tasks. Too much energy? Well, that's what we have with solar power. We make enough electric to power two plug-in Toyota RAV4-EV, all our domestic electric -- and still "donated" $223 in extra electric to SCE last year.
Go back and do some studying.
2010-02-09 11:27:49
Pretty Strong Language Doug...
For someone commenting in generalaties. When you finally throw in some facts in 'donating' $223 in extra electric last year, you conveniently omit how much your personal system cost to install.
2010-02-09 11:38:23
Peak Power?
Any benefit gained from reducing peak power demands is lost due to the need for reserve capacity when the sun don't shine. Same for wind.
2010-02-09 11:45:51
Just for Clean Air's Sake
Those people advocating solar and wind energy are doing it just for clean air not cost of energy, yet they go back home to start a fire at their fireplaces.. What a conflict of idea, indeed!
I dont believe their argument for clean air until all stops using firewood, charcoal, etc first. Then I will listen.
You have to start realizing that quite many Americans are not affected by high costs of energy. That is why they think nothing of throwing money at greeen energy. So what !!??
There is much cheaper methods of harnessing solar energy which I have built a quite crude version of it... I borrow the concept from solar ovens... Just glue aluminium foil on cheap $8 wood sheating boards 4x8 foot , you know and reflect the sunlight against the northern side of your house where the Sun never "see" or shine on . If you remember what you learn in school that the Sun is always in the southern sky come winter or summer never in the nothern sky.
So that permanent shady side of your house is usually cooler or colder than the southern side of your house. I call it stereo effect . You may feel nothing from the Sun itself but it does warm the southern side of your house. People tend to live closer to the sunny windows than the shady windows.. This is common sense to capture the absolutely free and wasted sunlight hitting your backyard with reflection.. How much it is worth in british thermal units is anybody's guess. My guess is a bunch lot ! I am still using it because I think it works great for me...
Why no manufacturer bother to manufacture similiar things like mine is simply mind boggling..
I suspect that people are trying to protect fossil fuel industry by posing as green advocates for the least efficient means of harnessing solar energy that is photovoltaics.. They are great for remote places or out in the space...
I believe that simply reflecting sunlight is probably 70-80% efficiency against only 20% or less for photovoltaics per sq ft. And it costs far less as well..
Money and politics as usual!~!
I dont believe their argument for clean air until all stops using firewood, charcoal, etc first. Then I will listen.
You have to start realizing that quite many Americans are not affected by high costs of energy. That is why they think nothing of throwing money at greeen energy. So what !!??
There is much cheaper methods of harnessing solar energy which I have built a quite crude version of it... I borrow the concept from solar ovens... Just glue aluminium foil on cheap $8 wood sheating boards 4x8 foot , you know and reflect the sunlight against the northern side of your house where the Sun never "see" or shine on . If you remember what you learn in school that the Sun is always in the southern sky come winter or summer never in the nothern sky.
So that permanent shady side of your house is usually cooler or colder than the southern side of your house. I call it stereo effect . You may feel nothing from the Sun itself but it does warm the southern side of your house. People tend to live closer to the sunny windows than the shady windows.. This is common sense to capture the absolutely free and wasted sunlight hitting your backyard with reflection.. How much it is worth in british thermal units is anybody's guess. My guess is a bunch lot ! I am still using it because I think it works great for me...
Why no manufacturer bother to manufacture similiar things like mine is simply mind boggling..
I suspect that people are trying to protect fossil fuel industry by posing as green advocates for the least efficient means of harnessing solar energy that is photovoltaics.. They are great for remote places or out in the space...
I believe that simply reflecting sunlight is probably 70-80% efficiency against only 20% or less for photovoltaics per sq ft. And it costs far less as well..
Money and politics as usual!~!
2010-02-09 11:52:58
Social Security is Threatened
Social Security is threatened by congressmen spending money on frivilous programs without thinking of safeguarding Social Security.. Congress think they can get away with phony cost of living increases that doesnt reflect the true cost of living. This year, there is no cost of living increase.. They are skimming funds away from Social Securtiy through means of shrinking real dollars on checks ... through inflation tricks ... They will give you 3% increase while the real inflation may be 5% every year... More people are having Keoghs accounts and IRA accounts and they are becoming less concerned about the plight of Social Security. They are still planning to wring more funds out of Social Security through phony commissions of distingusihed and thoughtful gentlemen. What a bull!@!
2010-02-09 11:54:29
Rates are off
In California, Pacific Gas and Electric has a graduated rate structure that hurts you for using more electricity. The top tier, is in excess of $0.40 per KWH. At an installed cost of $0.35 per KWH, a solar user is ahead. Frankly though, when I talk to solar installers, I get the distinct impression this is a high markup business like spas and patio covers and that I am a vehicle for the spa salesman to get my tax credit to end up in his pocket.
2010-02-09 12:01:32
Solar rooftops only for the Wealthy!
Why give tax credits or rebates to wealthy homeowners who want solar rooftops to avoid paying the highest rate brackets for electricity or gas... Their McManisons are too big in the first place... As you know, your utility bill has several price brackets starting with 300 kilowatts at the lowest price per kilowatt as baseline which is fine for the poor people living in skidrow hotels ... then the next bracket double for each kilowatt hour which is fine for middle class families in smaller than 2000 sq ft homes.. the next bracket shot up 50% per kilowatt for McMansions of 2000 sq ft to 10000sq ft. You see, the McMansion families are anxious to have solar rooftops to chop off the highest bracket they arepaying .. Cant you see there is plenty of incentives for them to pay for solar rooftops without federal tax rebates .. Kilowatts often cost 40 cents each at the highest bracket... They call it peak hours which is a wrong term or a phony word for their wasteful lifestyles.. Peak hours are not paid by ratepayers . Peak hours are paid by utilites to get scarce juice from adjacent idle powerplants hooked up to the grid .. There are many powerplants that are underutilized out in the boonies where few people live.. They are more than happy to sell electricity at far higher prices to desperate metropolitian utilites seeking additional juices during peak hours... Ratepayers do not pay according to peak hours but just brackets every month cycle. all ratepayers are allowed a baseline of maybe 300 kilowatthours at bottom price every month.. so if they used up the first 300 kilowatthours before the month is up, then they graduated up to the higher bracket and so forth.. it starts all over again every month.. There is no such thing as peak hours for homeowners... Those media reporters are very ignorant!!
2010-02-09 12:06:32
If your brick chimney faces to the South ...
I recently tore down my fireplace and chimney made of brick because it faces to the south where the hot summer sun warms the bricks during the day and the bricks warms indoors during the night .. It was miserable sleeping without air conditioning on all night. I tore down my fireplace simply because it is in the wrong place...
2010-02-09 12:12:29
Tax credits for 40 mpg cars
Why is there no tax credits for fuel efficient cars?? Hybrid cars are too expensive for most of us.. there is still regular cars that get 35 mpg or better but there is no tax credits fot that?? Car makers need to be convinced to stick with small cars.. We can charge gas guzzler taxes and use the proceedings to give tax credits to fuel efficient car buyers plus some. I dont like the idea of saving gasoline only to end up watching idiots driving around in V8 pickups just for show off purposes .... Tax those gas guzzlers .. If they use them for business, they already have tax writeoffs for that.. They dont always need pickups , anyway.. Tax them all! They make more sense than solar rooftops..
2010-02-09 12:14:20
Oil prces is heading lower
It looks like oil prices is heading down with Iraq ramping up oil production hugely in the ocming years... I worry that Americans will return to same old wasteful show off habits of buying gas guzzlers all over again.. What is the government going to do about it???
2010-02-09 12:42:55
Solar is the last step
One aspect commonly overlooked in the rooftop solar panel debate is that when making one's home more energy efficient (or "green"), solar panels should almost always be the last step in the process.
There are loads of simple, inexpensive fixes one can do to a home that reduces electricity usage (sealing ducts, improving insulation, energy efficient light bulbs, sealing cracks in the home's shell, etc). Then, once your home is using less power, you can install a smaller (read: cheaper) solar system on top of your house.
Solar installers are more than happy to come in and sell you a big system to power your whole house, but if you take steps to make your home more energy efficient first, the system you need will be far more economic.
There are loads of simple, inexpensive fixes one can do to a home that reduces electricity usage (sealing ducts, improving insulation, energy efficient light bulbs, sealing cracks in the home's shell, etc). Then, once your home is using less power, you can install a smaller (read: cheaper) solar system on top of your house.
Solar installers are more than happy to come in and sell you a big system to power your whole house, but if you take steps to make your home more energy efficient first, the system you need will be far more economic.
2010-02-09 12:46:23
RE: Just for Clean Air's Sake
"until all stops using firewood"
The amount of carbon released from wood by burning is the same as that released if the wood was left to rot. So burn it if you have it.
The amount of carbon released from wood by burning is the same as that released if the wood was left to rot. So burn it if you have it.
2010-02-09 12:58:24
Dear Frank
the carbon release from rotting wood is more natural and more pleasant to smell than from burning them.. We are accelerating releases of carbon ( read sooty black carbon) through burning (never mind forest fires) than from natural rotting wood.. Third World popluation are burning a god awful lot of wood! Please think it through.... You wont like it if your neighbor burns it EVERYDAY! Soot enter your house and you dust it ,, it looks blacky!! UGH@ Think about your lungs first!! Understood! EPA is long overdue on controlling firewood consumption!! What is holding them up is beyond my comprehension!!
2010-02-09 13:01:25
Dear Frank again
one quarter pound of firewood soot and particulates float out of every average chimney every hour.. C'mon! This is a lot! It doesnt occur with naturally rotting wood.. Why is it everyone so freaked up about carbon dioxide... There is various kinds of carbon compounds ... you know!! Burning wood is a NO-NO!! NO Thanks YOU VERY MUCH!!
2010-02-09 13:08:46
Clean coal is OK!
Clean coal is critical as a bridge toward energy independence... We are laying workers off primarily because of lack of energy supplies and secondarliy because of finaincial restraints as results of soaring energy prices.. YOu see, it is a catch 22! We need enough energy supplies to support normal economic expansion. I thought that solar companies would grow so fast unstopped so fast that we would not need more coal anymore.. Boy, was I wrong! Even enviormentlalists block solar installations in the deserts to protect poor critters like lizards or whatnots.. I dont hate environmentalists... They have their good points.. Even property owners (read ranchers) doesnt want powerlines crossing their beautiful ranches.. They are tying up every major solar project ( read over 100 megawatt farms) at every location in America.. First Solar is wise to stop temporarily with the gigawatt projects while letting lawyers, environmentalists and porperty owners starve for a while.. They will eventually come to their own senses and make things much easier for gigawatt projects going forward. So far, they are still full and happy.. Fine with me!! They are wasting shareholders' time... First Solar is now moving down the food chain to be closer to towns and cities where grid systems already exist for easy hookups without any need of long distance powerlines. We will eventually have scores of gigawatt solar farms in the deserts and Texas once the enviromentalists, lawyers and property owners start worrying about their own finances later on.
2010-02-09 13:12:58
Politics of Energy Shortages..
If you think everyone hates energy shortages, you are wrong... There is money to be made in energy shortages... People are trying to block you from your efforts to regain energy independence because their livings depend on it.. They will make up reasons why you cannot do here and there... They can afford $10 gasoline but they dontn care whether you can or not... Environmental laws are very important and I support them vigorously.. I love all kinds of plants and critters around the world.. I hate firewood smoke because they harm people's lungs and drive up health costs... Why arent we dealing with firewood smoke regulations...maybe we need more sick patients to keep our spanking new hospitals full..as if our gross domestic proudct depend on sick patients... People are expendable unless you are college educated or a sport star.... People dont care about you average Joe Six Packs!! They are intellegisesta muckrats!
2010-02-09 13:18:02
Experts are not teleprompters so to speak
Experts do not teleprompt their opinions.. they usually speak out of their minds but they sell opinions for money... Unless you do your homework,, dont question the experts... You can criticize the experts only after you do your homework... Do your homework first.. Do not swallow every Mcexpert opinion ... Expert opinions are useful as guides to issues , once you are there ,, do your homework , digest it ,,, criticize your thinking then post comments.. I depend on experts to point to issues not to believe anything from them.. that is all, folks!
2010-02-09 13:29:28
Dont relax... oil prices is coming down
Our economy is so damaged by $4.50 gasoline of last summer 2008! It appears that oil prices is coming down again thanks to projected increase in oil production coming from Iraq not Iran.. Iran may mess things up.. So dont relax with purchases of luxury gas guzzlers!! The government will do well to tax gas guzzlers and give tax credits to cheap fuel efficient cars over 35 mpg .. Hybrids are too expensive for the wealthy only... They dont need tax credits for their hybrids... The government should focus on those regular economical fuel misers ( you know what models, do you?? ) I dont need to tell you which models qualify.. They are between $10,000-18,000) Dont include any tax credits for loaded options like plush leather seats or GPS widgets... Base tax credits on the base price of economic fuel misers .. Hybrid buyers dont need tax credits because they are wealthy and they dont like tax increases anyway.. so screw them!@
2010-02-09 13:32:18
Ban central air systems
Those HVAc systems with ductworks are notoriously energy guzzlers.. Central air systems should be banned... We should use room air conditioners, tankless water heaters, wall heaters. Central radiator systems may be ok because they are not ductworks.. I dont know.. Those idiotic duct work wrapped with insulation is the stupidest investion of the century!!
2010-02-09 13:36:08
I Will Tear up My Ductwork at HOme@!
I plan to tear up the ductwork after completing my recent teardown of my brick fireplace and chimney.. Those circa 1970's wild ideas of guzzling energy is gone! There is still millions of homes stuck with fireplaces and ductworks that need to be torn down now! This is where the government money should be spent on.. not photovoltaics... Wall Street is enjoying every moment of pumping and dumping solar investors.... Stop them now!! The solar industry is grwoing too slowly for me to believe the very seriousness of our dependence on foreign oil... We have only ten gigawatt of manufacturing capacity so far which is a joke!! We should already have hundreds of gigawatt by now... if we are really serious!! Costs of a solar watt has to come down fast or else... I am lookinig for a dime a watt by now!
2010-02-09 13:57:24
Grab Your Compass
The future of solar will lie in solar thermal technologies both for utility scale and residential scale... Get your compass and find the northern sides of your house... you will notice that it is a lot darker and colder in the northern rooms than the sunny southern rooms, Once you agree with me, you will understand why we can simply use heliostats to reflect sunlight back into the colder and shady northern rooms for free! No complex whatsmacallit widgets like inverters and meters etc.. Just plain economic plastic mirrors to reflect sunlight, that is it.... On cold days, you still get free lighting equivalent to probably 500 watts worth of lighting... on sunny days even during wintertime, you can easily get more watts of free heating that you will toss out your oxygen sucking electrical heater and also turn off your themostat... That is what solar energy is basically all about, folks!! Forget photovoltaics for the silly wealthy morons..
2010-02-09 14:01:18
We can reflect sunlight against tall skyscrapers, too
Skyscrapers are notorious energy guzzlers due to its tall exposure to harsh climate... Skyscapers can use giant mirrors to reflect sunlight against the colder shady northern sides as well as for homes... We can develop concentrated solar devices to focus hot beams of sunlight accurately toward special solar areas installed on the cold northern sides of skyscrapers to help heat skyscrapers for free.. Forget about convering to electricity through photovoltaics which is far less efficient... We can build advanced solar weapons that can concentrate solar rays toward enemies if we want to.. no more need for wasting bullets... Concentrated sunrays can start fires and drive enemies out of hiding places .. no more innocent bystanders..
2010-02-09 14:03:30
Photovoltaics is just a curiosty of Big OIl
Big Oil might have a hand behind the bogus solar movement by stressing on the least efficient technology of harnessing solar energy that is photovoltaics.. Also, people are saying that photovoltaics is not competitive unless oil prices goes up to $200 a barrel.. who do they theink they are kidding??/ We don t want $8 gasoline to go along with $50,000 rooftop solar, do we??? It is time to start kicking right butts !!!
2010-02-09 14:06:37
The real purpose of green energy is to...
DRIVE DOWN FOSSIL FUEL PRICES NOT FEEL GOOD SENSATIONS FOR THE WELL TO DO WEALTHY DOUBLEDIPPERS!! We need alternate energy to help drive down fossil fuel prices first and above of all.. that is what it is all about!! Also to increase energy supplies as well and to dieversify the energy portfolio.. Whew i am running on fumes.. When will you ever learn!!??
2010-02-09 14:23:24
The Fossil & Nuke number is low
Don't forget, they're subsidized and do not pay for clean up of our air nor the open pit mines for the coal, etc. To solar's credit, it's a distributed system that does not have the points of failure which would affect thousands at a time that our current centralized system does.
2010-02-09 17:22:57
RE: Solar is the last step
This little point of not using electricity is pretty well overlooked in any discussion of energy policy, including by the "green" folks. People actually going off the grid spend a lot of time reducing their electrical energy usage to point of:
-Burning fuel (wood or gas) to do any cooking
-Run 1 laptop
-Using power strips to prevent "ghost" power draw from electronics
-Buy special appliances that draw less power and can cope with power surges (I actually own a washer like that)
But I suspect that requires energy and time. A mindless tax credit to "go solar" is much easier. :(
-Burning fuel (wood or gas) to do any cooking
-Run 1 laptop
-Using power strips to prevent "ghost" power draw from electronics
-Buy special appliances that draw less power and can cope with power surges (I actually own a washer like that)
But I suspect that requires energy and time. A mindless tax credit to "go solar" is much easier. :(
2010-02-09 17:27:34
RE: RE: Just for Clean Air's Sake
Rotting wood smells like rot and is health hazard. Burning wood is the same but smells *a lot* better. And least I got warm, too.
2010-02-09 21:39:26
OIl Vs Sun
What will happen when the market doesn't have oil and oil based products to manipulate. Energy prices will stabilized, a leading factor of inflation will be neutralized. Also Photovoltaic power system costs will be recovered in time not so with other energy7 sources.
2010-02-10 11:35:22
RE: RE: RE: Just for Clean Air's Sake
Amy,,, burning wood is no different than taking a refreshing walk through a forest fire!! You obviously never took a hike through a green healthy forest with fragrant deadwood wtih ferns and moss growing all over and around.. MMMmmmmm!smells so good! My neighbor burns firewood everyday and it is really bugging me . I develop respiratory issues.. Health authorities ignore this issue because they craves firewood themselves as well.. conflict of interest! Someday, they will come to their senses and start advising on banning firewood outright!
2010-02-10 11:46:31
RE: OIl Vs Sun
Dan you have to remember that sun shines only an average of 6 hours a day because some idiots still want photovoltaics in foggy London?? well, they have a right, too. So , you have to make roughly 3 or 4 kilowatt of photovoltaic to displace one kilowatt of traditional sources like coal or nuclear or hydro. Those traditional sources usually cranks non stop around the clock. Sure there is some down time for maintenaance but you still need three times as much solar photovoltaics to even up. so the true cost of the photovoltaics is still prohobitive. As for supply and demand pricing schemes , some photovoltaics can contribute greatly to the stablization of oil prices through demand destruction. it is quite amazing at how one percent shortfall or surplus in inventory can move oil prices a lot either way. It may still be worth our dime to invest in as much photovoltaics as possible. But there is still more we can do with the Sun through various technologies as simple as opening your curtains to let in the sunlight , etc.. There is also heliostats that can reflect sunlight back to the shady sides of your house that face to the north.. You should know that the Sun is always in the southern sky unless you lives in the opposite hemisphere down under like Australia where the sun is in the northen sky. So you reverse that , of course. I already built crude heliostasts made of aluminium foil glued on cheap plywood boards ( 6 of them) and train them to reflect sunlight through the sliding glass doors that happens to be on the right side thankfully! I am enjoying every moment of natural sunshine and warmth . It is so out of the world because I was long accustomed to the cold damp room because of exposure to the shady north. it is so bright and warmn and I use that room more often now. Why people stick to photovoltaics just doesnt make much sense to me.. I am looking for the most cost efficent ways of harnessing the solar energy and I found it.. photovoltaics is for the wealthy and they dont need tax credits since they tend to deduct taxes to the max...
2010-02-10 11:56:21
RE: OIl Vs Sun
Dan it is true that there is hidden costs associated with coal and oil as well as nuclear and hydro.. One is health costs.. I am all for clean air.. Carbon dioxide is not a health issue but a greenhouse gas issue. So when it all boils down,, I dont think that it will make much difference as long as most of you still burn firewwood without any pollution controls in place.. All the good you did with solar and wind to get rid of coal and oil mean nothing !!! You are back to square one... I refuse to be convinced by your hidden costs angles against coal and oil as long as you still burn firewood.. As matter of fact, I actually tore down my fireplace and chimney last summer to prove my point of supporting clean air.. I am vehemently against firewood anywhere even in campgrounds.. We have propane bottles and it is preferable to firewood. Third world population still rely on firewood and you ought to see some TV clips showing them cooking food in middle of smoke all over. it is a ugly sight!! Do you really want to burn firewood in yourmodern kitchen// i DONT THINK SO.. Firewood is a luxury we can do without.. It is a health hazard and is a source of health costs gone amok!
2010-02-10 12:01:27
RE: Gumby Koontz
Amy people are wasting money on buying firewood because they could use the money to buy photovoltaics.. Which comes first? If you think firewood comes first, then look at yourself !!! You dont know where you are going !!
2010-02-11 14:48:02
misinformed; solar costs less than utility power
The article contains incorrect information about the cost of solar power today. In addition, any analyst knows that it is simplistic, and perhaps misleading to use a single statistic when analyzing a company or industry.
Here are the facts:
1) The cited cost of solar is outdated. Solar panel prices have declined by about 50% in the past 18 months.
2) The cost per kWh comparison is the wrong way to look at the issue. For example, if you pay $200 per month for electricity with a utility, then you will spend $81,979 over 25 years. Compare this to the cost of a $25,000 solar panel system with a 25 year lifespan. Remember, you can pay the utility for 25 years, with annual price increases, or you can pay a lot less for solar power. You'll also get some great tax credits and cash rebates, and you will increase the value of your home.
3) Tax credits for solar do NOT waste taxpayer dollars. They are not tax dollars, they are YOUR dollars. You can pay less in taxes when you have a 30% energy tax CREDIT.
4) State rebates for solar do NOT mean that your neighbor is paying for your rebate. The utility is using ratepayer $$ to pay for solar rebates, just like they use ratepayer $$ to build any new production plant.
To do something about this today, visit http://www.solarpanelsonline.org. You can shop for solar panels and connect with a national network of solar installers.
Here are the facts:
1) The cited cost of solar is outdated. Solar panel prices have declined by about 50% in the past 18 months.
2) The cost per kWh comparison is the wrong way to look at the issue. For example, if you pay $200 per month for electricity with a utility, then you will spend $81,979 over 25 years. Compare this to the cost of a $25,000 solar panel system with a 25 year lifespan. Remember, you can pay the utility for 25 years, with annual price increases, or you can pay a lot less for solar power. You'll also get some great tax credits and cash rebates, and you will increase the value of your home.
3) Tax credits for solar do NOT waste taxpayer dollars. They are not tax dollars, they are YOUR dollars. You can pay less in taxes when you have a 30% energy tax CREDIT.
4) State rebates for solar do NOT mean that your neighbor is paying for your rebate. The utility is using ratepayer $$ to pay for solar rebates, just like they use ratepayer $$ to build any new production plant.
To do something about this today, visit http://www.solarpanelsonline.org. You can shop for solar panels and connect with a national network of solar installers.
2010-02-12 10:21:36
RE: state rebate
I just got my electric bill and they proudly announced a solar rebate
and also announced for now until ???????
that every customer now will be billed $3.20 MINIMUM per month and max of $160 per month to FUND THIS REBATE
thanks a lot
any wonder why the social acrimony is GROWING
just wait until we all build guillotines in the public square
for greedy exec's
and also announced for now until ???????
that every customer now will be billed $3.20 MINIMUM per month and max of $160 per month to FUND THIS REBATE
thanks a lot
any wonder why the social acrimony is GROWING
just wait until we all build guillotines in the public square
for greedy exec's
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