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