They intend to pay the solar users for extra power. How they intend to store this for when it is needed and not used when it is not isn't spelled out. I am guessing they only did this for the PR. Comments come from the wonderful commenters on Just One Minute.
The customer won't get much solar power for $0.74/month, roughly $9.00/year. Solar adequate to run one household for six hours per day will cost between $10-$30,000 to build dependant on quality. A utility can reduce that somewhat with economies of scale. But the utility must pay the workers who will maintain the installation. But here we are talking about private installations. The intent is to tax everyone in Gainsville so that a few selected people can sell solar power to the utility at a high rate. They will be getting free electricity. I suspect that among those few will be a high percentage of local politicians and city workers. Posted by: K | March 13, 2009 at 02:03 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f22860970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f22860970c> Hey, this is great. Make *all* the voters pay for the boondoggles their elected Representatives pass, rather than just 1/2 of them. Works for me! Posted by: Greg Q <http://gregq.wordpress.com/> | March 13, 2009 at 02:05 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e20112796679e628a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e20112796679e628a4> I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that UF gobbled up a lot of that solar capacity. I haven't been back since I was graduated, but there wasn't much else there. Of course, Florida wasn't the third largest state in the country then, either. Posted by: RR Ryan | March 13, 2009 at 02:17 P <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279667f5128a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279667f5128a4> Love this:"If the program were large it would be expensive, regressive, and unpopular. Instead, its a small, feel-good band-aid which the Times loves." It's the same thing in L.A. where only the rich can afford all those solar powered wheezes and even then the subsidies are way over subscribed..But of course the higher energy cost borne by the poor will in time be offset by higher welfare checks and civil servant salaries because--ta da--their fixed cots for energy will be increasing. Life is beautiful. Quit bitching about the craziness of it all and invest in alternative energy companies with close ties to the Dems. It's this years sub prime mortgage game. Posted by: clarice | March 13, 2009 at 01:30 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f213ea970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f213ea970c> Storage technology, folks; sans storage technology it's all a bunch of hooie, supportable only by mandates and subsidies. The Invisible Hand is raring back to smack Obama upside the haid. ========================================= Posted by: kim <http://wattsupwiththat.com> | March 13, 2009 at 01:38 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f21953970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f21953970c> /It shifts the burden of subsidizing green energy from taxpayers, as is common in the United States, to electricity ratepayers. / So, ratepayers don't pay taxes and vice versa? Posted by: Pofarmer <http://apnews.excite.com/article/20090310/D96RFK280.html> | March 13, 2009 at 04:43 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f2901b970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f2901b970c> I just had a lengthy argument with someone who said Cap&Trade wouldn't be passed on to the customers, AND cap&trade would force people to buy more "sustainable" power. I asked how. He said "make carbon-based power more expensive." I asked how that would work. "Obviously, carbon-based power would be more expensive, so people would choose the cheaper power." "So, then it /would/ be passed on to the consumer." He then called me a neocon. Posted by: Charlie (Colorado) <http://explorations.chasrmartin.com> | March 13, 2009 at 04:43 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966ce9328a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966ce9328a4> Chaco, I stay inside and don't talk much to other people--it avoids brain damage. Just a hint. Posted by: clarice | March 13, 2009 at 04:55 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966d4bd28a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966d4bd28a4> Has anyone noticed that,nobody has started a campaign to turn off the idiot box in the corner of the room,stop their 2.4 revolting children texting garbage to each other and surfing porn channels. Power problem solved.Dispense with the electronic fripperies,just use electricity for essentials. Posted by: PeterUK <http://Tiscali.com> | March 13, 2009 at 04:57 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966d5b628a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966d5b628a4> Clarice, I was thinking of Lottery Celebrity Firing Squads,save electricity.All those who get a winning ticket can nominate who they want up against the wall. The top prize is pulling the trigger. I know it is unfair,everybody wants to shoot Fat Al,but hey,there are consolation prizes like Peanuts and Bill Ayers.Also if you forget your glasses you can keep trying. Posted by: PeterUK <http://Tiscali.com> | March 13, 2009 at 06:01 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966f91e28a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201127966f91e28a4> Here in the UK you can pay your electricity supplier extra to provide you with 'green' power. (Of course the electricity travelling down the wire to your TV doesn't know it's green, but as an accounting excercise it's fine). What your supplier doesn't tell you is that the 'green' electricity you're getting doesn't consist of a lot of wind, solar or even hydro electricity, especially during the cold winter we've just had where the blocking continental high produced sub-freezing temperatures with little wind. No, most of the 'green' power you're paying extra for comes from nuclear power plants, and the majority is imported from France. French power is the cheapest in Europe, since they have invested heavily in nukes. The French have also bought a lot of the UK supply industry. So the suckers are paying extra for cheap power and the French have them coming and going. Posted by: Kevin B | March 13, 2009 at 06:18 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f2c6b3970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f2c6b3970c> My homebuilt solar hotwater system has been operating since 1984 in New Jersey. I get about 40-50% of my hot water. No subsides, just savings. Solar thermal systems have storage ability, cost just 10% of photovoltaics, very lo-tech and RELIABLE. If you can solder,you can build your own. Posted by: billb | March 13, 2009 at 08:33 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e20112796756a828a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e20112796756a828a4> So why haven't they penetrated the market? Passive solar architecture is a cheap winner, too. All windows on the southern exposure, with eaves overhanging such that the winter sun enters the windows and the summer sun does not. =============================================== Posted by: kim <http://wattsupwiththat.com> | March 13, 2009 at 08:45 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279675c9728a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279675c9728a4> I once lived in a house built in 1958 that had those features, designed by a local disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright. ======================================= Posted by: kim <http://wattsupwiththat.com> | March 13, 2009 at 08:47 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279675d6328a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011279675d6328a4> /Here in the UK you can pay your electricity supplier extra to provide you with 'green' power./ They have started doing that here, too. They mandated that the companies couldn't raise rates, so they are selling "green credits" to satisfy the criteria. The thing is a huge scam. Passive solar is great. If I build a new house it will probably be passive solar. However, With the insulating technologies available today, You've got to wonder if it's worth the trouble. Posted by: Pofarmer <http://apnews.excite.com/article/20090310/D96RFK280.html> | March 13, 2009 at 09:27 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e201127967730228a4#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e201127967730228a4> /Here in the UK you can pay your electricity supplier extra to provide you with 'green' power./ A local utility has this thing going, too. I'm thinking of writing to them something along the following lines: Dear XXX, I note your portrayal of "green" power as being more desirable than conventional power, and thus worth paying a surcharge for. Therefore, I plan to stay on conventional power, and I would like to know when I can expect to see you reduce my rates, since I will be using the less-worthy type of power. Posted by: PD | March 13, 2009 at 11:02 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f363a6970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f363a6970c> Billb, the elephant in the room is heat exchange ventilation. It is quite easy to arrange vented out air from bathroom and kitchen to heat incoming into bedrooms and living room air. In most locations in US it is quite possible almost to eliminate heating bill whatsoever. Heat generated by lighting, cooking, big-ass flat screen TV will be enough to keep you warm through winter. Google it. Also there is such simple thing as stainless steel heat exchanger in basement between hot wastewater from kitchen sink, shower, dishwasher, and washing machine to heat incoming water. But leave toilet water out of it! Posted by: AL <http://americanthinker.com> | March 14, 2009 at 04:57 AM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f3e4ca970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f3e4ca970c> I don't disagree with you, billb, but you still haven't answered my question about why it hasn't penetrated the market. If it is so easy and cost effective, it should be being built, if only by those building leasable housing. I know, separate metering probably inhibits such a plan, but if there is big money to be saved, someone besides you would have taken advantage of it. This analysis is faulty, but just where is the fault? ====================================== Posted by: kim <http://wattsupwiththat.com> | March 14, 2009 at 12:52 PM <http://justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/03/bigger-subsidies-paid-by-someone-else.html?cid=6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f4a86f970c#comment-6a00d83451b2aa69e2011168f4a86f970c> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
