Solar Subsidies [RE-wrenches]

[matthew tritt]

Excellent idea Graham. I also think that a government program providing PV
systems to low income households would provide relief from high electric
costs, create jobs and help reduce some of the rich man, poor man stigma
from owning a system. If HUD can provide housing at the rate they pass on to
low income folks, why not solar too?

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "Graham Owen" <graham at solarexpert.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2002 4:36 PM
Subject: Solar Subsidies [RE-wrenches]


>
> Matthew Tritt wrote: "our product will only be
> truly affordable to buyers with higher than average incomes until
> government decides to subsidize it nationally"
>
> Matt, I think you hit the nail on the head here.  Solar needs to become
> subsidized nationally to greatly increase economies of scale.  The
> problem is figuring out how to make these subsidies provide the most
> benefit to the consumer without creating avenues of financial temptation
> and shenanigans by contractors.  I also believe that a percentage of
> solar energy system subsidies should be calculated and paid for the
> energy they actually produce.
>
> I believe there is concern with lawmakers, that it is beginning to
> appear that low-income ratepayers struggling to pay their electric bills
> are subsidizing solar power to reduce energy bills for the affluent, who
> are most able to pay their bills.  As an industry what we really need to
> focus on how to make PV affordable for low-income families.  When this
> is achieved PV will truly be a mainstream product.  Zero interest loans
> and targeted government assistance is necessary.  One possible scenario
> would be to have the IRS allow 30-cents per kWh's generated annually to
> become deductible from income taxes.  This would keep the solar money
> and monitoring out of the hands of the utilities.  A Zero interest
> government loan for 20 years, with the first payment deferred for one
> year, combined with 30 cents per kWh tax deduction would work
> financially.  A program such as this would require a long-term
> government commitment; say 20 years, to truly change our energy mix.
> Homes with money generating devices on the roof will be easy to sell.
> Now you may ask, could our federal government possibly make such a
> long-term energy subsidy commitment?  It is possible.
>
> I just read a very interesting article in the latest World Energy
> magazine, Volume 5 Number 3, written by Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senate,
> Alaska.  On page 85 he lays out a plan for a 15-year subsidy for a
> natural gas pipeline to the lower 48 from Alaska.  I tried to find the
> article on line to give you a link but a password is needed to read the
> article.  This is an excellent magazine.  I will paste the link below
> but I don't think you can open the article.
>
>
http://www.worldenergysource.com/articles/articledetail.cfm?the_start=1&sort
by=last&keyword=Frank&title=&country=&business=&mymax=10&volume=&id=399&auth
_id=99&language=E
>
>
> Graham Owen
> GO Solar Company
>
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