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Shining the Light on Solar Power
By Laura Knoy on Wednesday, August 26, 2009.
Less than one percent of the state’s grid is being fueled by the sun, but advocates hope to change that. They say solar is clean, convenient and most available during times of greatest need. But skeptics say solar power is too erratic and too expensive to supplement fossil fuels. We kick off our series on alternative energy exploring if solar power is viable for fueling the New Hampshire grid.
Guests
- Clifton Below, commissioner for the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission
- Chris Stimpson, Executive Campaigner for Solar Nation, a national solar energy advocacy group based in Peterborough
We'll also hear from
- Howard Hayden, professor emeritus at the University of Connecticut, publisher and editor of the EnergyAdvocate newsletter and author of Solar Fraud: Why Solar Energy Won’t Run the World
- Jack Potter and Eva Dunn, owners of the Shaker Woods Farm Bed and Breakfast in Sanbornton; they use solar energy not only to heat their home and business but bring energy back to the grid
This program was originally broadcast May 18, 2009
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Can you ask the commissioner why the utilities are allowed to limit the credit to a homeowner for clean energy generation on their property ONLY up to the value of the consumption that month at that particular home.
Since the program originally aired, solar prices have dropped precipitously, or as some have said, to get them back on track with the learning curve, due to Spain's virtually dropping out of the solar market - last year almost half of all the photovoltaics installed were installed in Spain, but they changed their FIT, or Feed In Tariff, to be less favorable, by adding limits, and installations are expected to be one third there from what they were the previous year. This has caused a supply glut, and therefore lower prices.
The important line, though, in the story is "This year about a dozen states — following moves by California and Colorado last year — have enacted laws enabling solar panels to be paid off gradually, through increased property taxes, after a municipality first shoulders the upfront costs." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/business/energy-environment/27solar.ht...