SPAM-LOW: Pics of PV in Germany [RE-wrenches]

Mon Mar 14 16:49:30 PST 2005

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The utility problem is all over the U.S. The citizens of Colorado had to
put PV on the ballot because of utility opposition. The initiative passed,
but the CO utility is dragging its feet instead of complying with the will
of the people. Nothing has changed since 1960 when Theodore Levitt wrote in
his classic essay "Marketing Myopia."

"Who says that the utilities have no competition? They may be natural
monopolies now, but tomorrow they may be natural deaths. To avoid this
prospect, they too will have to develop fuel cells, solar energy and other
power sources. To survive, they themselves will have to plot the
obsolescence of what now produces their livelihood." - reprinted in 1975
see 
http://www.fcee.lisboa.ucp.pt/docentes/url/markii/Leituras/Marketing_Myopia.
pdf

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection econnect at snowcrest.net
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:28:07 -0800
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: SPAM-LOW: Pics of PV in Germany  [RE-wrenches]

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Pat,
Well spoken. However, I'm not sure what the solar thermal reference 
is all about since we're talking PV here.
And,
1) I explained very clearly what the utility was doing with the 
public goods charge.
2) Getting a utility with operations in at least four states to be 
straight about who gets the RE portion of their generation is a shell 
game that would make a Carney wince. The CPUC isn't going to do it. 
They are way too lazy and there aren't enough votes in this neck of 
the woods to generate any heat to their feet.
3) I'm VP of Oregon Seia, sit on the BoD of NABCEP, am in the CA 
Industry Expert program and the OR Dept of Energy PV Experts forum. 
Hardly a "standing by the side" kinda guy. I've earned the right to 
take a potshot now and again.
4) With you all the way on the golf. That particular pastime consumes 
so much in the way of resources, especially water resources, that I 
cannot in good conscience support it in any way. There are better 
ways to get exercise.
Best, bob-O

>Most Californians support pro-solar Swartzenhegger's plan for PV on
>>new homes, but some CalSEIA members oppose it for fear that housing
>>developers will get all the rebate money and be cut out of the
>>action. I think that the rising tide in PV will lift everyone's boat.
>--Joel Davidson
>Except for those Californians who live in an area not serviced by
>PG&E, SCE, or SD G&E and assorted Munis. Those Californians have yet
>to see nickel ONE from the CEC. To my knowledge, CalSeia, who
>purports to speak for the CA solar industry, hasn't.
>--Bob-O
>
>
>Wrenches:
>
>I feel compelled to respond to both of these remarks.
>
>Some of us CalSeia members remember the antagonism that was created when
many
>municipalities started requiring solar hot water systems in the 80's.  Most
>of the developers saw no reason but to provide the cheapest fix for this
>mandation and so quite a number of these solar systems were 
>installed with little
>(if any) thought for performance or reliability.  I've got a "solar" 
>tract near
>my office where the model home has north facing collectors in the shade of
its
>own landscaping.  Since the building industry will fight any legislation
that
>mandates solar, since the systems that were installed under these programs
>were generally cheap and inferior, we did not think that compelling 
>builders to
>go solar would have been a positive move.  We want consumers to drive the
>market and hope to make the choice to go solar more affordable.
>
>The CEC is not sponsoring solar in areas where the local utilities have
>elected not to use their own public goods charges to fund such a 
>program.  If your
>local utility is not financing solar you should contact them and ask:
>
>What are you doing with your public goods charge?
>
>AND
>
>What is your program to meet the state's RPS goal of 20% renewable energy?
>
>I imagine that some utilities in California already derive a majority of
>their energy from renewable sources (i.e., geothermal, hydro, etc.) 
>and might not
>see a need to sponsor any PV.  The CEC and the PUC are not the source of
>capital for these grid tie projects; it is the public goods charge 
>portion of each
>ratepayer's bill that is covering the freight.
>
>CalSeia is the organization that guided the original net metering law
through
>the legislative process.  As of last month, it had been on the books for
ten
>years.  Anybody in this business knows how crucial this law is.  CalSeia
also
>continues to refine and "add teeth to" the Solar Rights Act.  CalSeia is
>currently funding an effort to gather data for the state labor 
>department.  We need
>to present a case for prevailing wages within the solar industry and can do
>this only with a properly documented survey.  The need for these labor
>statistics might not seem so important until you realize that by law 
>any project over
>$25,000 funded by the state must pay prevailing wages.  Hasn't been a
problem
>yet.....
>
>The PV manufacturers have not left CalSeia.  Manufacturers have their own
>priorities and feel that a contractor-based-state-organization was not the
>perfect conduit for their efforts.  If anybody wishes to help 
>CalSeia in any way,
>they are welcome to join, attend board meetings and to help steer our
>organization.  Standing by the side and taking pot shots is a hobby 
>for some and a real
>career for others.
>
>BTW, I don't do golf.
>
>Patrick A. Redgate
>AMECO
>562.595.9570
>www.amecosolar.com
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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