Solar, Wind, Bio, Energy News And Commentary By_Green Earl, 30 year Pioneer In Conservation & Solar
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Energy Man advocates solar with start of Solar Day
By Debra Atlas Contributing writer
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Move over Earth Day and Arbor Day. A new holiday is dawning.
Today is Solar Day - a celebration of all things solar and the benefits of solar energy.
San Francisco Bay area business owner John Reed came up with the idea last September when, Reed says, "the entire solar industry was biting its nails because the federal solar tax credit hadn't been renewed and was due to expire."
The fledgling industry was hanging by a thread, he said.
That sparked the idea for Solar Day - the first in what Reed hopes will be an annual day of recognition for the potential and growth of solar energy in the U.S.
"We need to focus on steps we can take as individuals and businesses to permanently reduce our need on fossil fuels and the environmental hazards of greenhouse gases," Reed says. "...We must never let the 30 percent tax expire."
With California's emphasis on reducing emissions, solar plays a key role in the state's renewables future.
REU has a program that meets the requirements of the governor's program of 1 million solar roofs in California by 2018, says Paul Hauser, Redding Electric Utility's Electric director.
"(Solar) won't meet all of our customer's needs but it will be part of our program going forward," he said.
Ken Mackie of Eco Technology in Redding says the solar industry's in flux.
It's expensive for homeowners to install solar but, Mackie believes "this will change over the next two years, especially with some stimulus money and the cost of silicon hopefully coming down."
In the meantime, Mackie strongly encourages people to make their homes more energy-efficient.
"Energy efficiency is the least costly, most efficient way to save money to reduce our carbon footprint and our dependency on foreign oil," Mackie says.
The solar industry has seen a 20 percent to 30 percent growth rate in the past year, Reed says.
"It's a huge potential growth," Reed said.
Solar Day's being celebrated today in select metropolitan cities. San Francisco is holding a large event and other cities - including Dallas, Chicago and New York- were considering doing so.
"It's the first virtual event or holiday that's been driven strictly by the Web," says Reed.
"Hopefully the public will get behind this event," says Reed, who anticipates it will grow into a national and possibly international event over the next two years.
A freelance environmental writer, Debra Atlas can be reached at debraatlas@gmail.com or her blog at www.envirothink.wordpress.com.
Comments
Posted by secondclass on June 21, 2009 at 6:17 a.m.
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Look at the stock chart of TAN, the ETF of solar companies. Solar is a loser. A few left wing nuts, like the Shasta County Democrat party chairman put in solar, but it is a very expensive way to make a political statement. There are only a small number of people that wealthy and that politically extreme.
Why do these stories never mention the profit margin on residential PV solar so aggressively marketed in Shasta county?
Posted by citizenactivist on June 22, 2009 at 8:13 a.m.
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in response to secondclass
Solar is a entirely viable renewable energy addition.
As a thirty year pioneer in conservation and solar generation, you sir and your buddy Paul Hauser are sadly mistaken.
The only reason solar does not show as effective here in Redding City limits is the management of REU and the direction they have decided to take our community. The fact that Paul Hauser sits on the board of TANC, we find out, tells it all. This must be explored further and I think Paul Hauser should decide who he wants to work for, the people of Redding, or the big southern California power brokers. I believe he should step down in fact, due to this conflict of interest.
Conservation, coupled with lighting conversion and insulation, solar dhw, for water heating and solar electric can replace your REU electric provider.
No it will not be cheap, but add 8% a year to your existing REU bill for the next 5 to 10 years, and you'll find that's not going to be a great deal. In fact as discussions right here on this website have shown, many folks on REU actually pay more for energy, based on use, than they would in PG&E territories.
With the credits and rebates, that REU can add or take away, as the $1,000 bonus offered at the last energy fair proves, can make solar a very cost effective addition in an area that gets over 300 quality solar days a year.
If we could just get half of the $400 Mil REU has committed to these power brokers, to put toward conservation and solar measures..Redding would be well on it's way to becoming the Green city it should be. _Green Earl
http://yeswecansolveit.blogspot.com
More warrants served on the Den Dagg Workman's Comp State investigation....LA Times Article
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