I recently flew way out to Reno, Nev., for a meeting of Rural Electric Association directors.
The main thing I took home is the notion about solar energy and people on the lines. More and more folks want solar energy. Don’t think it is free and on only a few houses will it fit on the roof to get the greatest amount of energy. Secondly, many dwelling do not have the structure to hold the panels up. Add a heavy snow to that and your house could be flattened like some chicken houses are during the big winter storms we have.
But the plan of this administration is to get half your electricity needs from solar in a decade. People are told they won’t have to pay utilities and make their own, but when the sunsets the lights go off. Despite how much electricity you make during the day, it is over at sundown, so you will need an electric utility to take over – or light candles.
Everyone is looking for large batteries, which are needed to store the solar energy generated. All the big companies like Apple, Amazon and Goggle, want some – but they require lead plates and are still too expensive, plus they are short lived. So until they make an inexpensive, large battery you will be tied to your current utility.
Today there are large federal subsidies for solar users, but the last time I saw how long it will take to recover your costs of installation was 40 years. Now I don’t know much of anything, but what lasts 40 years that they are making today? Maybe a hoe you only use a few days a year. No one really knows because the improved models they have now have not been tested for any length of life.
Who is doing this solar business?
According to a press release from Direct TV, the company is going to expand into the solar business and wants to be a utility serving you.
They have 200 million customers they could possibly sell to. I imagine they want in on the ground floor. There are others who want in, too. I would sure advise anyone considering putting such a project up on their house or field to talk to a successful user or two before you spend that much money. Sales folks can paint a pretty picture that may not end up being that good.
Your utilities were set up to bring order and reliability to your electric needs. By law, electric companies are guaranteed only a small profit. They also have districts set up that are theirs, and only theirs, to serve. If a large amount of the population turns to solar, they will still need electricity. These investor-owned utilities and cooperatives have spent huge sums for power plants with long-term financing that customers will still need to pay for since they were built for future needs. This matter will come up down the line to haunt everyone when large amounts of solar electricity replace standard sources – if it ever does.
Several large solar projects have gone into default. One big one recently folded in California at a cost of $50 billion to U S taxpayers. Each one of those companies that went down said that the units did not produce as much electricity as the supplier said they would. California is a sunshine state – put that under your hat too.
I am not against solar, but anything that has to be heavily subsidized to get you to install it may not be the business you want in. Washington D.C. could decide any day to take that away – windmills faced that a few years back.
God bless you, your family and America.
