PV Sales's Comments

Dear Jason,

 The power of the minority to fillibuster a cloture vote and bush's power to veto do not leave HR or NP many options.  The PTC was in the last major energy bill but was blocked by the aforementioned methods.  

I work in the solar industry in Silicon Valley! Our company doubles its revenue each year. Mr. Hochschild speak the truth.

Grid parity...hmmm.. Seems to me like that is always going to be just out of reach... why do I think that... because of the monolithic traditional fuel industry that has an interest in solar not becoming more cost effective than solar... we have to approach this more aggressively through carbon taxes, strong residential incentives and continuing the investment tax credit to bring solar to the forefront. We need to suck it up and make this happen before it's too late...

More wind power = good ... profits to Portugal = maybe not so good...

Dear Jim,

 Not sure exactly why you seem to reject renewables on principle.  I live and work in the solar industry in California.  In this state, as in others that have incentive programs allows homeowners to purchase a system at a significant savings compared to the 30 years of equivalent utility bills.  If it's all about $ and c then why haven't you gone solar?  It's your money(tax money)...why not take some of it back?

 

If the local residents were stakeholders in the project... and not out-of-state energy companies... local opinion might be different.

As someone who pitches residential PV seems daily to my customers, I agree that the system in place is not perfect. The CSI is the largest solar iniative we have ever seen and is allowing for thousands of kW production to be installed each month.

Remember distributed generation is the future. The efficiency benefits alone are startling. At the present time, we are all enslaved to the utilities. Keep installing PV, build wind turbines and recycle those incandescents.

Also, keep in mind that the end goal here that the electrical utilities themselves become obsolete. That won't happen until DG is a force that cannot be ignored.

One thing to keep in mind. Renewable electric generation is not a direct replacement to existing technology. Shifting bulk demand to day time hours and implementing storage system makes this completely viable. We are moving towards that.

I agree... this is industry PR not news.

De-centralizing the energy industry is the key here. When I first stumbled upon CitizenRE, I immediately felt as if it was a "smoke-and-mirrors" operation. Months later, that seems to be mostly the truth. I don't care to discuss whether this approach will lead to a successful business. I would like to make the point that we have a unique opportunity to establish a new industry that will be more in the hands of we the people then private multi-national corporations. I feel that is vitally important that homeowners own there system and realize the full appreciation and asset of the solar system. You would not rent a swimming pool or a tennis court...and remember all system do pay for themselves and then make money the rate of which will only improve overall in the future. We don't need the next Blockbuster or Wal-Mart of solar... Think Global...Act Local!

Two thumbs up!!!

Wow... Amazing!

I am not in favor of this practice. Part of the benefit of renewables is that "we the people" will own and benefit from a new energy system that is localized and distributed.

Dear Jim,

I have the power to veto SB1. $320M / 36M PEOPLE.. Where will you spend your $8.89 this year? Tell you what...if I'm in CA next year...I'll be you a burrito.

On a more serious note...if you are implying that the oil and gas industries were not founded with or to this day do not receive assistance from the government, than you are mistaken. A fledging industry like solar needs help, and we will give it to them.

Jim,

Astute observation. Can anyone make a cost comparison between these and traditional PV cells?