JAN 09

Here in Norway over 90% of our electricity comes from hydroelectric power. We're fine.

Yeah...thanks for rubbing it in Tommas :-). Not everybody has so much dramatic topography and so few people :-p

"To finally spark the creation of a clean energy economy, we will double the production of alternative energy in the next three years."

If he had meant double the production of wind turbines and solar cells (yearly creation of equipment), would the numbers have made more sense?

I think this is a great idea. We need to try to power our houses and communities on a local level. High transmission power lines wouldn't be a worry if the power was right there on your roof.

Well the decision to not build any new mega dams has already been made... I think :-/. This can so be done with tidal and offshore wind or building up the Sierra corridor like the Pickens plan... But people keep blocking the start ups with petty visual impact complains...Plants like Nevada solar 1 is a great system too but the startup is so high

This plan would be ideal for more home owners and provide jobs in the process! An overall great stimulas idea

Hank, have you suggested this to the change.gov site yet.

I think it unwise and unfair to spread the cost of solar panels over a time period greater than their applicable lifespans.

This is such a great idea, Hank. Have you submitted it to Obama's idea repository??

http://change.gov/agenda/energy_and_environment_agenda/

I hope he gives you a cabinet post, man. :-)

I work for a turn-key dam construction company called Voith Siemens Hydro Power Generation. The majority of dams in America are underperforming or mothballed. With new technology our company is able to make almost all of our sales by "rehabilitating" old dams. That's one of Obama's ideas...

Micro-loans are the right way to go. For similar ideas look at;
Solar Initiative for Berkeley cityofberkeley.info/Mayor/PR/pressrelease2007-1023.html; or

Earth Energy in Manitoba, Canada hydro.mb.ca/earthpower/loan.shtml

But focusing on a specific technology is in my opinion flawed. We need to provide policy and tools to fund the expansion of a renewable energy market, but we need to let the home and business owners decide what technology is best for them depending on local circumstances. We need to get maximum competition and innovation across all renewable technology options and let the market decide which is best.

Sounds like a program worthy of installation nationwide. The federal govt. should encourage state govts. to encourage local municipalities to evaluate the worth of individual installations. As
the procedure becomes more efficient so it becomes economical for more installations.

The only thing stopping homeowners from putting solar on their roofs is getting the financing. They know it pays off in about ten years (here in CA) and then its free electricity.

So here's the full idea to make it free to
1. the homeowner
2. the utility
3. the taxpayer,
yet still pay off the solar installation.

A very good idea - finally we may see changes.

http://www.residentialsolarfreedomact.org

What if the solar panels where to be bought with microloans, but instead of the added cost of installing it + inverters to each home, you place these panels in a centralized location, redusing the cost even further.

Many homes may be hindered by lack of good sunlight on their property, lack of roof (apartments), or zoning regulations, but with a centralized location picked for excellent solar conditions, that fits hundreds of individually owned panels, the economics of scale can be added to the benefits of microloans with low or 0% interest rates.

The interest costs on the solar panels are higher then the cost of the power produced by the solar panels. Which leads to the question if during this time of low interest rates solar panels can't produce enough electricity to cover the interest what happens in 30 years when you haven't paid a dime on the principal and your panels have been dead now for 10 years since solar panels only have an estimated 20 year life span thanks to the Clinton administration passing of the biodegradable act that required the elimination of chemicals that extended the lifespan of materials used in manufacturing so that items in land fill would take less time to degrade. Of course those same chemicals would have also aloud us to make solar panels and wind turbines would last 50+ years but hey who cares about that as long as they are biodegradable.

Questions to ponder for all us Geeks. Does the use of the device you are talking about make economic sense. 99% of the answers will be “NO”

There is a reason why the US post office who stops and goes more then anyone does not use Hybrid cars. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENCE

This may be a great idea, but it is highly dependent on whether where you live is conducive to solar power. Here in Illinois electricity is just too cheap (flat rate is about 11-12 cents/kWh, variable rate is even lower) to get any solar system to pay for itself in a reasonable time frame. I've done the calculations many times over (visit roofray.com for some neat solar panel calculating tools) and I can't get my ROI to less than 20 years even with state and federal grants/tax incentives.

Maybe in California with constant sunshine and expensive electricity this program could work, but then you have to ask why the private sector has not jumped on this as a money maker.

President-elect Barack Obama's energy initiatives focus upon electric-powered vehicles, wind turbines and solar energy. The plans necessitate building a transmission grid capable of delivering renewable power generated in remote places to distant cities. Grid developers face uncertainties in cost allocations and returns on investments, environmental concerns, landowner objections and a variety of regulations in different states served by the same power lines.
New electricity from wind and solar sources could increase the regularity of blackouts and reduce the reliability of the nation's electrical grid according to experts. Energy from these new sources will impose new demands on a transmission system that was not designed for large power transfers over extremely long distances.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation stated recently that unless significant measures are taken to improve transmission of electricity, the rules requiring reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by utilities may impair the reliability of the power grid. The corporation is the industry body authorized by the federal government to enforce reliability rules for the interconnected system of electrical power generation and transmission.
The challenge will be to transmit wind power from wind corridors such as the Dakotas through Texas to population centers such as Chicago and Florida. Carbon emission initiatives will create new pressures on the old grid. Renewable energy may form a larger portion of electricity supplies without reducing reliability, provided improvements are made in the transmission lines. The renewable energy industry is discussed in depth at http://www.onebiosphere.com
The overhauled electric system that has been created in the last 20 years suffers from inadequate transmission capacity. Independent power producers have built generating stations that compete in a geographically broad market and serve distant consumers. Utilization of the antequated transmission system is closer to its limits more often than at any time in the past.
Certainly, the greenhouse gas concerns and electric utility reliability are on conflicting paths. Experts have been recommending construction of new power lines for several years. However, this is quite difficult in many regions because of the reduced political power of utilities and the increased influence of environmental groups seeking to protect environmental systems. The need to construct new power lines to connect distant urban regions with areas with potential for power generation from solar and wind sources requires a new planning framework and a broad perspective.

I had this same idea, except with energy efficiency, such as new windows, insulation and siding. Also, they should be 0%-interest loans.

Solar nor wind power are the solution. I have a solution, but first I need to patent the idea.