Relativity [RE-wrenches]

[Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services]

Not all of CA has any incentive programs. Up here in (the real Northern California) there is no such thing as a RE buy down. Work around here is mostly limited to off grid systems or the occasional grid-tied "environmental nut" that puts their money where their mouth is.

CA is not always the trailblazer I would like to see... for example 2 summers ago during the "energy crisis" our state spent well over a million dollars A DAY subsidizing utility rates to keep them so low that people did not have to be concerned with reducing waste or putting in RE systems. To my thinking that was rather counter productive, especially considering how the public ends up paying that (35+ BILLION dollar deficit) back anyway.

Utility style, large-scale energy generation systems always have a detrimental impact on the economy and ecosystem. This is why distributed generation of power through the use of  small scale (1 to 3 kW) PV (and where applicable wind and micro  hydro) systems on every home is the preferred way to go.

But for that to happen, either the subsidies on non-renewable energy need to be removed, and/or people need to value the future of a peaceful and environmentally clean planet enough to invest in it.

Todd





"Mangelsdorf, Marco" wrote:

> Dana,
>
>
>
> I'm usually reluctant to get into political discussions on the Wrenches list for obvious reasons.  But on the issue of subsidies for PV, I gotta chime in my 2 cents worth.  Even with the modest subsidies in CA. and in other states to promote renewables, does that come close for a level playing field in terms of energy sources?  Hardly.  Could nuclear (nu-cu-lar to some people) power exist here without something called the Price-Anderson Act, which limits a nuke power plant operator to a fixed liability in case of catastrophic accident?  Nope.  Yeah, I can see how folks in other states are envious about the RELATIVE subsidies given to PV in CA.  And I wish there were greater government subsidies across the board for renewables.  For now, though, as the rest of the union learns from the trailblazing going on in CA. and other forward-thinking states, I think that we all ought to be grateful that some of us in the industry can benefit from modest government support for renewables.  And
> this comes from a Wrench working in Hawai'i where there aint no such thing as buydown $$.
>
>
>
> aloha,
>
> marco

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