| Copyright (c) 2008 Paul Calhoun | | | | lobbyists, including Rudy Giuliani's firm, to |
| | | | help defeat a measure that would force them |
| The US currently has about 700 megawatts of | | | | to boost electricity generated by wind, solar |
| installed solar panel electricity generation | | | | and other forms of renewable energy to 15 |
| connected to the grid, according to research | | | | percent of the U.S. total by 2020. That's up |
| by the consulting firm, Navigant. This | | | | from less than 2 percent today, and is a move |
| represents less than 1% of all the | | | | the industry says would cost at least $67 |
| electricity generated in the US. | | | | billion. Southern Co. has spent $7.26 million |
| | | | this year lobbying Congress, more than Exxon |
| Each state controls the speed of solar | | | | Mobil Corp. or General Motors Corp., |
| adoption by heir independent policies. If | | | | according to the Washington-based Center for |
| these policies remain nchanged, generation | | | | Responsive Politics. It hired such firms as |
| from solar panels in the US, both commercial | | | | Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, where Republican |
| and residential generators are expected to | | | | presidential front-runner Giuliani is a |
| grow to 6,000 megawatts by the year 2015. | | | | partner. The bill would require utilities to |
| | | | obtain 2.75 percent of their power from |
| Three thousand of the 6,000 megawatts will be | | | | renewable sources starting in 2010, ramping |
| generated in California. The incentive | | | | that up to 15 percent by 2020. Almost |
| programs of California are the gold standard | | | | one-quarter of the mandate could be met by |
| among supporters of solar power. Growth in | | | | improving efficiency. Companies that fail to |
| the home solar-power market will not take off | | | | meet the standard would have to pay a penalty |
| until more states adopt favorable net | | | | to the federal government. The cooperative of |
| metering rules. The relaxed solar | | | | Southern Co and other generating companies |
| implementation can offset the cost of | | | | consider this too high of a barrier and |
| installing renewable power system and capture | | | | appear to have succeeded to remove the |
| electricity that is being loss from the | | | | renewable fuel section from the bill going to |
| potential solar generation. The Navigant | | | | President Bush. |
| report estimates that an additional 3,000 | | | | |
| megawatts of solar panel electricity could be | | | | The average homeowner does not have a vote in |
| available in the next eight years if the | | | | adopting renewable fuels electrical |
| states with solar implementation limitations | | | | generation standards. The battle is being |
| lifted their caps. | | | | conducted by the state and federal government |
| | | | and powerful electrical generating companies. |
| There are eight states that have no | | | | The problem is that the average homeowner |
| net-metering rules. These states are South | | | | will be the big loser in this struggle. Our |
| Dakota, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, | | | | major recourse is to write our state and |
| Tennessee, Florida, Arizona and my own state, | | | | federal representative to adopt measure that |
| South Carolina. A list compiled by New Energy | | | | we can utilize the potential cost savings and |
| Source lists California, New Jersey, | | | | reduces pollution of solar generated |
| Pennsylvania, and Maryland receiving the | | | | electricity. |
| highest scores for solar adaptation with the | | | | |
| remaining states of lower scores because of | | | | Our letters to our government representatives |
| restrictive laws. | | | | should ask for means to: |
| | | | |
| As of September 2007, 39 states had adopted | | | | * Encourage greater renewable-energy |
| some measures of rules to compensate | | | | generation |
| consumers for sending self-generated | | | | |
| renewable power to the grid. There is a lot | | | | * Promote customer-sited distributed |
| behind the scenes that the states and power | | | | generation (wind and solar fuels) |
| generation companies are willing to wage a | | | | |
| serious fight to preclude Federal mandates to | | | | * Reduce demand on an ever increasingly |
| push solar renewable energy. | | | | strained grid |
| | | | |
| In my state of South Carolina, the Santee | | | | * Reward investment in renewable technologies |
| Electrical Cooperative, which is owned by the | | | | |
| state of South Carolina, is proposing a $998 | | | | * Facilitate energy independence |
| million dollar coal burning generators. The | | | | |
| site has been put on hold by the federal | | | | * Improve air quality and public health |
| government for a deeper study of the | | | | |
| environmental impact. Meanwhile, Santee | | | | * Promote in-state economic development. |
| continues the fight with their commissioned | | | | |
| study. Their study concludes "$900 million in | | | | Most states that have revised their |
| economic output, $500 million in earnings and | | | | interconnection and net-metering policies |
| 9,300 jobs for South Carolinians" | | | | have done so in pursuit of these same goals. |
| Unfortunately; Santee made no attempt to | | | | |
| study the environmental impact or what a | | | | I have a BS and MS in Metallurgical |
| combination of renewable/nonrenewable future | | | | Engineering. Thirty six years spent in the |
| actions would mean to the state. | | | | development of semiconductors. Business |
| | | | experience in start up business plan. |
| The federal renewable fuels bill has been | | | | Currently, an oyster farmer and interested in |
| stopped in the US Senate. Southern Co., | | | | helping the environment by deploying solar |
| American Electric Power Co. and other coal | | | | energy. |
| fired producers hired top Washington | | | | |