[NeoPeasant]

...to get people to start building and installing PV systems it has to be profitable right?

A new paradigm: Rent your PVs!

Dude, did you even read the article you're linking to? It gave me the impression that Citizenre is mainly in the fool/money separation business. Let me know when a company with actual assets, an actual factory producing actual solar panels, and actual installation crews is making the same offer.

[lardlad]

What a lame response! According to you, any idea is worthless until it's a commercial success? I wonder what you would have said to the Wright brothers?

BTW, so sorry to have posted something that threatens your Holy Doomerism in any way. I'll try to find some Doomer Porn to buck you up.

[Omnitir]

I have been hearing and reading about imminent new technology that would make PVs a LOT cheaper, ever since buying my first panels back in 1981 (for about $10 a watt), and it hasn't yet, to the extent promised.

Sorry, I realise that you went on to say something positive, but I need to point something our here.

Notice this argument constantly raised against any new technology? Example: "I've been hearing about imminent breakthroughs in EV's, or batteries, or nanotech, (or anything you want to debunk) for over 30 years, but nothing ever materialises."

I love this argument, and so do doomers. Oh, unless you use it this way:
"I've been reading about the imminent collapse of civilization for over 30 years, but it just never happens."

[lardlad]

Touche!

[chuck6877]

I decided to reserve a system from Citizenre.

It will save me money over my current electric bills, and I don't have to spend all the upfront money.

It seemed perfect for me, especially since if you reserve a system before the end of Feb, 2007 you'll get 2005 electric rates locked in for 25 years.

With peak oil coming this was the seller for me. I am happy that I will be insulated from rising energy costs.

I also plan on using the 2005 electric rates to power a plug-in hybrid one day.....so I will be able to happily motor around town much cheaper than my neighbors

They won't start putting them on homes till early 2008. The first year they're going to install 20,000. There are 8,000 on the waiting list already so if people wait till this is proven, they'll be waiting 3-5 years.

Take a look if you're interested at:
www.jointhesolution.com
They have an explanatory video located at the top-right and the FAQ section answers all other questions.

You'd be smart to do your due dilligence finding out if this is right for you. Some people it's right for and some it is not.

Chuck

[lpetrich]

I'll believe it when I see it.

But not before.

I'd prefer putting my bets on wind power. It's been coming down in price slowly but surely, and it may become price-competitive with fossil fuels before long.

[bshirt]

I think wind and PV power complement each other very well. More sun in the summer and more wind in the winter.

[chuck6877]

I'll believe it when I see it.

But not before.

I'd prefer putting my bets on wind power. It's been coming down in price slowly but surely, and it may become price-competitive with fossil fuels before long.

Skepticism is good, but you pay nothing to this company till they put the solar panels on your house.

I can't afford expensive solar panels or windmills....

I can afford to rent them though!

You just pay a rent equal to your 2005 electric rates per KWh produced per month. It's a genius idea really.

I can give you a copy of the General terms and conditions if you want for the Rental Agreement for the solar panels.

Do you know of a better way to make yourself immune from energy rate increases as we reach peak oil? I'm listening........

I will not have to worry about peak oil affecting my ability to drive because of the plug-in hybrid I'm going to get or cost increases from electricity getting more expensive. I'm feeling good

Chuck

[aahala]

Chuck

Stop wasting our time posting such crap about Citizenre. Citizenre
is nothing more than a multi-level marketing scheme and from
your user name and the link you provided, you are part of the
shills the company have sucked into the plan.

There is ABSOLUTELY no truth to the company's claims. If
you were to type in "Citizenre" and the word "investigation" into google, you will probably get hundreds, if not thousands of pages that discuss what is wrong with the assertions.

[chuck6877]

AAhala,

Why can't their claims be true?

Please tell me because I'm hoping they keep their promise and give me solar panels....

I have given them $0.00. If they were lying wouldn't they be taking people's money?

Not one person has given them a $1.00. Also none of the people choosing to tell people about the company are receiving money until the panels are put on people's homes.

That is the main reason I think they're going to keep their promises. If Citizenre wants to make money they have to give people solar panels.

If they are scamming people, it's a pretty poor scam because nobody has given a $1.00!!

Am I misplacing my faith?

Chuck

[Aaron]

Sorry guys but this was posted via a perm ban evasion.

sigh

Not very slick...

[davep]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/17/us-desert-solar-iea

Interesting.

The United States could position itself as the global leader in producing utility-scale solar power from its vast deserts, with immediate and appropriate government support, a new report from the International Energy Agency says.

It's based on good old solar troughs etc, but with thermal mass (such as molten salt) for night time production. Apparently the deserts in the US could provide all current electricity needs of the US.

[Graeme]

Solar gets big and cheap in California

Earlier this week, I wrote about the green evolution in California regarding electric cars. Well, when it comes to solar energy, it's starting to look more like a revolution.

This week, utility Southern California Edison asked regulators to approve 20-year contracts to buy 250 megawatts of electricity from 20 small-scale photovoltaic farms.

Nothing especially newsworthy about that until you start reading through the document submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission (hat tip to Adam Browning of the Vote Solar Initiative). Turns out that in response to its request for bids, Southern California Edison received offers in excess of 2,500 megawatts.

In other words, there's a whole lotta solar companies out there eager to generate carbon-free electricity.

And willing to do it relatively cheaply. Southern California Edison noted in its submission letter that the 20 projects -- which will generate between 5 and 20 megawatts -- will produce electricity at a cost below what utility industry wonks call the "market price referent." The MPR, as they call it, represents the levelized cost over 20 years of a combined cycle gas turbine like those typically found in natural gas power plants in the Golden State.

So in plain English, the developers of these solar farms have told the utility that they can produce electricity cheaper than a fossil fuel power plant.

grist