Comments on: Japan to Cut the Cost of Solar 50% Creating Greater Self-sufficiency

By: JT's Principal

JT's Principal — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:25:37 +0000

The pioneers where not the folks who settled the west. The pioneer was the guy lying dead on the trail with an arrow in his back. Right now solar, etc. are the frontier. Trouble is, no one wants to be the one to take the first arrow. This is the perfect arena for the government to take decisive action; to take that financial arrow for us. If Barack does nothing else in his term, he should push like hell for energy independence. If they’re willing to drop $700,000,000,000.00 (it’s good to write out numbers like that) on bailing out the banks alone, why not ‘bail out’ our energy infrastructure? How many panels, wind turbines, geothermal systems would that kind of money buy? Think we could work some sort of volume discount?

By: EY

EY — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:21:34 +0000

JT’s Unkle:
oil may be cool at the moment, but its going to run out!!!!
we need new renewable energy solutions
EY

By: Uncle B

Uncle B — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:32:25 +0000

Japan may be on the right path,If the U.S. had chosen to be a moral people, and leaving Iraqi oil alone, and following Al Gore, decided to develop the South Western deserts, with the technology of the times – solar/thermal-molten sodium – electricity installations, for the same amount of money as that war cost, ($650 Billion), today, we would be tapping into the largest, renewable, sustainable, energy source the world has ever known. It would have paid every energy bill in the U.S.A. for maintenance fees only – FOREVER! It would be equivalent to an oil field that can NEVER run dry! Low cost electric power, and storeable hydrogen gasoline replacement from the electricity, for all!
After the millions of murders, and $650 billions of dollars, borrowed from our children’s futures and pissed away, with thousands of our own and others maimed and disfigured for life, millions of families utterly destroyed, ours and theirs, we are no closer to Iraqi oil production than the Iraqis are!
The next time you hear a blithering idiot spoiled brat, drunken, drug addicted, sociopath, rich Arabic saber dancing daddie’s boy oilman, stand at a microphone and threaten YOUR safety with someone ELSE’S weapons, remember what you lost America, remember, and weep! (also see http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-solar-grand-plan)

By: Your Money Matters

Your Money Matters — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:42:02 +0000

If the US subsidised Solar the way we subsidise Big Oil, I have the feeling the numbers would start to favor solar.

By: Onepv

Onepv — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:27:53 +0000

Solar panels are the way of the future. In India as well there is a huge potential. Indian government has special plans for providing subsidies. Check out this article: http://www.onepv.com/government_incentives.htm

By: Brandi Shelton

Brandi Shelton — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:16:00 +0000

When it comes to buildings, we must first make them energy efficient. While many buildings come close to that in harsher climates. The buildings in the warmer climates such as Florida, California, Arizona, etc. have been built very lacking. In California, the energy commission has had buildings tested by building science which uses blower doors, duct blowers and numerous other instruments. (This science has just been developed over the past 15 plus years and the utility companies in California are providing training to contractors over the past 6 and will provide the first certification testing through the California Building Performance Contractors Association over the next 3 months.) Anyhow, the teacher of these classes has tested 15 buildings throughout California including Leeds Platinum and Title 24 and NONE of them passed as energy efficient. We originally started out in solar and after attending these classes, we have joined the aboved mentioned Contractors Association because the most cost effective way to save energy is first to seal up the buildings and make them energy efficient than the lowers the size of the solar system needed to make them almost zero energy homes which is what we need since homes consume more energy then cars. A solar system of 5 Kw which would only help on the smallest homes (who probably could not afford them anyway) will cost over $40k.
That same home can probably made energy efficient for $10k. Go to the CBPCA website and read the facts. The web address is: http://www.cbpca.org.

By: Sarah Lozanova

Sarah Lozanova — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:45:44 +0000

Where is here? It seems hard to believe it wouldn’t be cost effective at those electric rates. If you tell me where you live, I can estimate the return on investment of a solar system. These estimates are dependent on the amount of sunshine that an area gets and what the incentives are.
In the US, there is a tax credit of $2000 available to homeowners and even larger tax credits and write-offs for businesses. The tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, so the solar system has to be installed before that time to benefit from them.
Many states also have incentives. The website, http://www.dsireusa.org has information on these programs.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:16:51 +0000

Electricity costs US$0.37 per kwh here and solar is still not cost effective. I wish it was cause I’m tired of paying $500 a month electric bills in the summer.
Maybe somebody will subsidize and insure a whole bunch of solar panels for me.

By: Deep Patel

Deep Patel — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:05:07 +0000

JT,
you can’t just make a wild claim that solar power isn’t cost effective. I have helped many people all over the world with their solar power projects and depending where you live and what your energy goals are it could be very cost effective, it all depends on how you design and deploy a solar power system. In areas where the cost per kWh is very cheap, sure solar is not cost effective, but it does have its environmental and social benefits.
A lot of people on the internet who don’t know much about solar always says is not cost effective without doing an analysis of how an investment in solar power will perform.
I suppose that is the reason why we here in America are in such a energy crisis because people are too quick to dismiss new technologies.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:27:59 +0000

Solar is already cost competitive in the US if you look at the cost over the lifespan of the panels. The problem is that it takes 10-30 years to pay them off (a number which has been dropping as panel prices go down and energy costs go up) and most people don’t budget for things that far in advance (the obvious exception being a home).
Currently it would require availability of a government-sponsored low interest/no interest loan for widespread consumer adoption. I think that would be money well spent.

By: RonnieRightstuff

RonnieRightstuff — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:50:48 +0000

Sam, It looks like the price reduction isn’t in production but rather in the cost of the panels through government subsidies. The price of solar production stays the same, but the government will put up 50% of the cost for it’s citizens.
It looks like a smart investment especially due to the fact the solar companies are mostly Japanese. Thus, a demand is created, which leads to a rise in revenue, which is ultimately taxed.

By: SV

SV — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:50:31 +0000

JT’s_Unkle:
There are lots of alternative energy sources that we would use if they were simply more cost effective. Solar isn’t efficient enough to be considered cost effective yet. It is, however, well on its way.

By: Chad

Chad — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:47:39 +0000

I think what they were trying to say is that they saved 50% on their car insurance by switching to Geico and applying the savings to their light bill.

By: Sam

Sam — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:19:34 +0000

The article doesn’t say how they are saving 50%.