Lancaster, CA Requiring Solar On New Residential

[Alias]

First city in the nation to require solar on all new residential.

Lancaster, CA Becomes First US City to Require Solar : Greentech Media

Sue

 

[steveray]

So then they can tax you on it......

 

[kilitact]

We hope more will follow.

 

[Architect1281]

See if they can make you buy health insurance whats next they say - Hey why not solar ....http://www.lowes.com/pd_180260-40683-GS-1000-KIT_0__?productId=3956065&cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-Electrical-_-WindSolarPower-_-3956065&CAWELAID=1618087634&kpid=3956065&"cagpspn=pla"

 

[fireguy]

What is the payback period? If the solar is such a good idea, why does it have to be mandated?

 

[ICE]

If you believe that global warming is the result of burning fossil fuel, alternative energy sources make sense. Even if you don't buy into the green movement, knowing what comes out of a smokestack should give one a clue.

What doesn't make sense is the way solar arrays are placed on roofs. Folks are going to realize their mistake when the roof covering needs to be replaced and an electrician is required for the tear off. A whole lot of solar gear will hit the landfill.

Right now we are dealing with the Model-T of solar energy. We must do that in order to sustain the progression to a workable solution. Twenty years from now solar panels, as we know them, will have gone the way of the typewriter.

As far as the city of Lancaster requiring solar on every house....that takes balls hey....and partnering with Solar City is rabbits bedding down with wolves.

 

[steveray]

"As far as the city of Lancaster requiring solar on every house....that takes balls hey....and partnering with Solar City is rabbits bedding down with wolves."

I have dealt with Solar City a few times here....I have been less than impressed....

 

[tmurray]

If you believe that global warming is the result of burning fossil fuel, alternative energy sources make sense. Even if you don't buy into the green movement, knowing what comes out of a smokestack should give one a clue.

That's always been my position. Even if global warming isn't real, at the end of the day you still have increase the air quality. The only losers in this scenario are the gas and oil companies.

 

[conarb]

The major players in the large renewable projects are the oil companies, they are in the energy business and are going to make it one way or another, recently my school district floated a massive 50 year bond issue to put solar on the schools, in truth most of the money went to retire other bond issues, the installations are even facing in the wrong direction. Now my town, seeing how profitable it is, is going to do the same thing with a no-bid contract with Chevron Energy, the school district was going to do a no bid-contract with Chevron but the newspaper exposed the payoffs and they actually had to put it out to bid, but I didn't hear of anyone being prosecuted:

The council is considering engaging Chevron Energy Solutions Company, a division of the oil giant, to identify upgrades or improvements to the city's buildings, infrastructure and facilities that would conserve energy. Projects could include solar panels at the water treatment plant, LED streetlights and energy efficient heating and cooling systems. The company also would calculate the savings for each project. The fee for this energy assessment is $55,000. The City Council last week delayed the vote on an agreement with Chevron Energy Solutions until the company submits additional information about potential savings.

Funding for the projects -- which likely would cost several million dollars -- could come from a mix of loans, state grants and incentives and rebate programs. Martinez would repay any loans over a defined period with the money it saves on energy costs.

¹

These systems are obsolete before they are installed, the new technology under development will be miniaturized by capturing higher spectra of light, Stanford is now developing carbon tube nano technology that will make paint, roofing, and glass the solar panels, of course the venture capitalists think they are going to make a fortunes on the only thing they have now, Kleiner Perkins has invested a billion dollars in it, even making Al Gore a vice president so he could buy a multimillion dollar penthouse in San Francisco and fly in and out in his private jet while the unwashed masses are told to ride trains and bicycles.

¹ Martinez seeks to cut its $1 million gas, electric bill - ContraCostaTimes.com

 

[Rio]

The more diversified and decentralized our power sources are the better. A lot of ardent environmentalists aren't happy about the use of photovoltaics in massive solar farms partially because of this reason. If all new systems and all supporting electronics were mandated to be EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse as in a nuclear device being exploded 100 miles or so up in the air over us) resistant and any that were reworked were required to be upgraded to be EMP resistant we'd be putting our collective selves in a much better position for the future.

Regarding the ever increasing use of photo voltaics at present there is a self limiting feature to photo voltaics and that is they're only effective for about 5-7 hours of a 24 hour day. To keep the grid balanced they can't get to the point where they contribute an inordinate amount as when they aren't functioning other systems will have to make up the difference one way or another.