Going Green? Yeah... Umm... No you're not...

Crimes against the environment? Check!
Crimes against humanity? Check!
Crimes against your rights? Check!

If you're like me, you have daydreamed at some point about having a big beautiful house, the coolest sports cars, a big pool, your own clean water producing well... and free electricity! If we could only win that mega millions lotto jackpot, we'd have the coolest setup of solar cells giving us infinite electricity to keep our thermostat set to -30* all year long. Oh man... How great that would feel, all cuddled up under those blankets, NEVER getting out of be! (yawn....) I know huh.

So all this talk about going green to save the world, save the environment, do good things for your great-great-great grandkids so they don't have to choke to death on toxic air, sounds wonderful when you think about it. However, putting those words to action is a whole other animal when it comes to politics, government and big business in the pockets of government or visa versa.

Here is an example...

Looking to slash their electric bill, retired couple Ron and Sarah Hall installed solar panels on their Southern California home. Nearly a year later, they haven't saved a dime.

The panels are considered too powerful, NBC Los Angeles reports, and were never turned on.

The problem isn't necessarily the fact that the panels would generate wasted electricity, NBC Los Angeles explains. Instead, the state is concerned that homeowners could sell their excess energy. A SoCal Edison representative said that a homeowner who produces excess solar energy is considered a potential energy retailer, and becomes subject to commercial business regulations.

Source

So if you have a home and want to add solar in Cali, you're regulated to HOW MUCH you can have and if you go over that, you can't turn them on. All of this because they fear you're going to "sell" what you're getting for free. Hmmm, where have I heard that before...?

Cali is really 'bass ackwards' you say? Stuff like this doesn't just happen in Cali. In fact, many states allowed their many electricity companies dictate laws on free energy because the companies are afraid that they'll loose customers.

Wait...! Stop...!

I thought electric companies were not supposed to make a profit!?!?

I looks more and more like this whole electric company thing is a scam. In fact, my own electricity company is "supposed" to be customer owned. I don't know about you guys, but I would never charge myself 25$ for electricity (the amount I use according to my bit) then an additional 25$ to transfer the 25$ of electricity I'm using, and another 30$ for "line conditioning and maintenance". I'd look into another electricity company but unfortunately, we don't have one available. Most places are stuck with the fact that they can not choose their electric companies. Some can but the choices aren't that much different.

So before I trail off too much, lets get back to the free energy concept.

Free energy should be... well... Free! But it's not. The government pushes you to get it by tossing in all kinds of rebates and tax credits but that throws you into the angry arms of the electric companies that DO NOT want you to have that "free" solar. So after you spend, say $1200.00 per panel to get your house all nice and solar powered, you find out that there are many regulations. EPA says you have to have everything just right or you're a no go. So you pay more money for an inspector and hope you have everything up to code.

Some electric companies persuaded the state governments to even TAX you because they're afraid of loosing their own customers to free energy. So... Free energy isn't so free anymore, is it? The most appalling things about it is the fact that they can control YOU and your green energy.

The EPA is SAYS that energy companies stand in the way.

Utility Rate Structures. Unfavorable utility rate structures have perennially been a barrier to increased deployment of renewable energy technologies. Unless carefully monitored to encourage the development of distributed generation, rate structures can increase the cost of renewables (e.g., through stand-by rates, lack of net metering) or completely disallow connection to the electrical grid.

Source

So lets take a closer look of how idiotic some states are becoming with this...

Florida:

"Currently, Florida is one of only five states in the nation that prohibit citizens from buying electricity from companies that will put solar panels on your home or business," according to the group’s website.

Source

Rules prevent solar panels in many states with abundant sunlight


West Virginia:

HB 2201, which has passed but is awaiting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's signature, takes away the incentive of investing in solar energy systems in the coal-producing state by allowing utility companies to charge solar customers an extra fee.

Source

Arizona:

A new interpretation of state law in Arizona could force customers to pay property taxes on leased solar panels. In a state with an estimated 20,000 solar customers and 85 percent of new solar installations being leased systems, the implications of an extra charge are tremendous. The new tax could result in an additional $152 per year for a residential solar array and even more for larger installations, the Arizona Republic reported. What’s more, the tax would apply to both new and existing customers.

Source

Colorado:

If demand for residential solar continued to soar, traditional utilities could soon face serious problems, from “declining retail sales” and a “loss of customers” to “potential obsolescence,” according to a presentation prepared for the group. “Industry must prepare an action plan to address the challenges,” it said.

The warning, delivered to a private meeting of the utility industry’s main trade association, became a call to arms for electricity providers in nearly every corner of the nation. Three years later, the industry and its fossil-fuel supporters are waging a determined campaign to stop a home-solar insurgency that is rattling the boardrooms of the country’s government-regulated electric monopolies.

Source


This is a few interesting reads.

An Electric Dilemma: Is This The End of Solar Panels?

Tension From Utility Companies Casts A Shadow On Rooftop Solar Industry

So isn't this a bit like cable companies taxing you because you have a dish? How messed up is this...

There is so much wrong with all of this. "You can go free energy but you have to pay us..."

This is only the tip if the iceberg. There are SO MANY more instances, and way more states regulating free energy all in the name of "lost revenue and lost jobs". It's ok for any other industry but this one? Give me a break!

the answer is simple GREED power company's dont want to to be able to generate your own power
as it loses them PROFIT so via various sorta kinda legal means they make dam sure the state
forces you yet again back in to being a nice compliant bill slave.

Its disgusting
back in your box eco warrior!

It's pretty ridiculous that your government allows this sort of thing to happen.

For example my friend bought solar panels and during the day he exports what he doesn't use into the national grid and gets paid for how much he puts in. At night time he uses 'The Grid' to power his house as he doesn't have battery backup to store the energy.
He still puts more into 'The Grid' than he takes out an makes around £80 per month from it. So his solar panels are actually making him money and the government supports it because it takes the pressure off the national grid.

Going GREEN has NEVER been about saving the envirornment. It has always been about making another $.

If done safely, we should be able to power our PRIVATE properties any way we want!!

Enough said.

It's no surprise that the Koch Bros. and big energy companies are working hard to kills solar power -- they pressure local governments to enact laws and restrictions on what people can and can't install on their homes.

ALEC has been central in this whole thing:

An alliance of corporations and conservative activists is mobilising to penalise homeowners who install their own solar panels – casting them as "freeriders" – in a sweeping new offensive against renewable energy, the Guardian has learned.

Over the coming year, the American Legislative Exchange Council (Alec) will promote legislation with goals ranging from penalising individual homeowners and weakening state clean energy regulations, to blocking the Environmental Protection Agency, which is Barack Obama's main channel for climate action.

...

Gabe Elsner, director of the Energy and Policy Institute, said the attack on small-scale solar was part of the larger Alec project to block clean energy. "They are trying to eliminate pro-solar policies in the states to protect utility industry profits," he said.

The group sponsored at least 77 energy bills in 34 states last year. The measures were aimed at opposing renewable energy standards, pushing through the Keystone XL pipeline project, and barring oversight on fracking, according to an analysis by the Centre for Media and Democracy.

The Guardian

They'll get their way too, as these people have a lot of money ... Cookie cutter legislation drafted by ALEC is getting rammed down the throats of all local governments...

what if a contractor builds you a house where there are solar panels that connect to conduit running threw your house that is not connected in anyway to the outside power grid. those conduits coukd be used to run outdoor lighting and simple low power things. you still get to keep your normal wiring that's connected to the power companies grid. but the two never interact. if you make excess power from your solar panels its not going to ever get in the hands of other houses or the power grid this way. we do this already with Malibu style lights and solar powred bird feeders so why wouldnt that work for your house as long as it doesn't connect in any way to another neighbor or the power grid?

a reply to: BASSPLYR

There are probably building codes that say if you own real estate in a residential area and build on it, you have to be connected to the power grid. The city probably won't grant you a permit to build unless you plan to connect to the power grid.

this lady covers information about free energy and how if we had it in abundance (meaning not regulated), money would become inconsequential, so that's why free energy is being stifled.



tapyoureit.boards.net...

My carbon foot print is larger than 100 cows farting, but I'm fine with that....

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Many states REQUIRE you to be connected to the utilities whether you use them or not. Water, Electricity, Sewage, a Mailbox... all things that are required in most states. Delegated by some municipal, of course.

If you're in a place that can't logically get any of these, the state doesn't mandate it. Odd how it's ok for some and not for others. I get it though, they just cant get those services in some areas far away from towns and cities, but still...

It's a sad thing.

a reply to: StallionDuck

It's socialism in action, if you want the honest truth. The rates energy companies set are based on an assumed usage per customer and, when one customer uses less, it drives the rates up for everyone else because of the fixed costs associated with the facilities. Those who have should NEVER need to pay for those who don't have. In this case, the folks who have solar panels are being ordered to pay for those who do not have solar panels... socialism, in all of its forms, is the most unfair, stupidest way to work policies.

originally posted by: StallionDuck
a reply to: BASSPLYR

Many states REQUIRE you to be connected to the utilities whether you use them or not. Water, Electricity, Sewage, a Mailbox... all things that are required in most states. Delegated by some municipal, of course.

If you're in a place that can't logically get any of these, the state doesn't mandate it. Odd how it's ok for some and not for others. I get it though, they just cant get those services in some areas far away from towns and cities, but still...

It's a sad thing.

This is the reason so many people are looking to and are where possible, moving outside incorporated areas. Cities, Towns and Municipalities are so regulation and fee happy its no longer sustainable to live within their corporate limits. These jurisdictions are becoming residences for only those who can afford them; the very rich and those living in Section 8 subsidized housing. Weird.

Only in the US, solar panels don't save you money...

It's saves money outside of the US, go figure!

- Crimes against Environment? uncheck, check how?
- Crimes against Humanity and Rights? uncheck, check if that's your government suppressing your rights to generate your own energy.

Peace

a reply to: StallionDuck

Been reading this a few times to get it into my apparent thick skull. There has to be some kind of misunderstanding from the articles... but i can't seem to find it.
It is very hard to believe these beyond moronic laws! How the hell could they have passed in the first place?

In other countries; if you produce excess electricity, you feed it back into the grid, and make a little cash on that.
Thats was a side bonus to the solar-investment. Great for everyone.
But in the US, you are punished in a way, where you are NOT allowed to use your solar-cells? Rendering them useless! REALLY ? Did i read this right?
Please tell me i got this wrong?

a reply to: kloejen

The sad thing is, it's happening in multiple states. Big Electricity isn't liking it one bit. I do agree. It seems totally f'ing silly but to be honest, this is really no different than any other big business pushing the government to tax and deter people from other things.

In some states, you get fined if you're trying to recycle rain water. You can't even get off the grid in some cities/states.

So much corruption.... It blows my mind that so many people are oblivious to it and even more so, don't really care. Once upon a time, people would be storming the gates and setting up guillotines.

'And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. '
(Genesis 6:5)

tl;dr -- "God" made humans to be wicked.