Solar Subsidies [RE-wrenches]

[Tom Lane, Energy Conservation Services]

it would be absurd to provide pv systems to low income housing without doing
weather stripping and solar hot water first. One dollar  spent on weather
stripping equals a thousand dollars spent on pv and one dollar spent on
solar hot waterequals 30 spent on pv    Gator  Tom Message -----
From: "matthew tritt" <solarone at charter.net>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2002 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: Solar Subsidies [RE-wrenches]


> 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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