You Can't Win

[RPMDAD]

Power play: Utilities want solar users to pay up

The explosive growth of solar power -- a new rooftop system was installed every four minutes in 2013 -- has utility companies pushing in several states to scale back what they call unfair rate advantages that solar users have long received.

The debate centers on net metering, which requires utility companies to credit customers for solar energy that they generate in excess of their own usage. The credits were part of financial incentives to invest in solar energy.


Policies for net metering, which is used in 43 states, vary from state to state, but most credits are set at the local retail price for electricity. That bothers utilities, which contend that the retail price is set too high, resulting in excessive credits to solar users. Utilities want credits set by wholesale prices, which are much lower than retail.

Power play: Utilities want solar users to pay up - NBC News.com

 

[garyt27]

Run by Republicans.

 

[aps45819]

Run by Republicans.

Based on what?

http://static.gecitizenship.com.s3....3/08/GE_PoliticalContrib_1st_half_2013_v1.pdf

 

[Larry Gude]

Let';s

The old way;

Some entrepreneur creates something people want. In this case, the ability to generate and control electricity. Some cutting edge business types bring it to market, finding ways to make it affordable to customers. It gets big so, we socialize it and subsidize it as per the political requirements of the day, the market removed from the equation.

The new way; we subsidize first; solar panels. An idea and product that has been around for quite some time that simply hasn't found favor in the market place. So, through subsidy, not innovation or good business practice, it comes to 'compete' with the existing social order in a 'detrimental' fashion.

So, the existing social order is now up in arms over the new social order. Instead of innovation and market improvements, we have competing special interests that will win and lose not in the market place, not in the ability to innovate and find ways to appeal to consumers but winning and losing based on...

...the political requirement of the day.

I know! Let's just raise electricity rates to compensate for the lost revenue AND subsidize folks who can't 'afford' the new rates!

 

[GURPS]

The new way; we subsidize first; solar panels.

give me 100,000 and a building permit, and I am getting off of the Grid FOREVER

 

[Larry Gude]

give me 100,000 and a building permit, and I am getting off of the Grid FOREVER

Or 100k, WV and no permits.