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June 2 (Bloomberg) -- Germany is slashing the subsidies that built its solar industry up to $8.8 billion in sales and made the country the world's biggest market for panels that capture the sun's energy.
Homes and businesses earn a government-guaranteed price of as much as 47 euro cents ($0.74) for each kilowatt-hour of solar power they generate, enough to run a vacuum cleaner for 60 minutes and double the market rate. Spain and France are copying Germany's model as a way to nurture clean-energy industries that can reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut gas emissions blamed for global warming.
The national average in the US is $0.12/kwh, Germany's soalr and wind production just like everywhere else could not exist without massive government subsidies. In Spain for example the power companies have driven up such a large debt the one article I read stated they would need to increase rates by 25% just to pay for what the electric was costing. A 33% increase for ten years to pay back the debt. they were able to accomplish this less than decade and still have most of their power coming from fossil fuels.
Here's recent article from Austin Texas:
Quote:
Austin's clean energy program costing more, selling less (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/12/0712greenchoice.html - broken link)
Austin's clean energy program costing more, selling less
Electric utility chief says separate charge for renewable power may need to be rolled into all users' bills.
By Marty Toohey
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, July 12, 2009
For the past decade, Austin's ambition to become the world's clean-energy capital has been best exemplified by one effort: GreenChoice, a program that sells electricity generated entirely from renewable sources such as wind.
Now the nationally renowned program is struggling to find buyers — the latest allotment is 99 percent unsold after seven months on the market — and Austin Energy is looking for ways to bring down the rising costs.
But those are short-term talks.
Austin Energy officials say that times have changed and that the nation's most successful (by volume of sales) green-energy program, which offers the renewable energy only to those who select it, might no longer be the best way to carry out the city's goals. It now costs almost three times more than the standard electricity rate.
The conversion to renewable energy is inevitable but you don't drive the bus off the cliff to get there.
Lots of people are probably getting tired of me posting all this "inconvenient Truth" but I'll keep repeating myself until every last person knows it. The US has some the most stringent environmental laws on the planet but as our manufacturing base continues to be destroyed these business just move elsewhere. If you want to even the playing field write your Senator or Representative because until they act everything we do is really irrelevant on the global scale.
Just for example the WH made a big deal over the "concessions" China is set to make at Copenhagen but the fact is it's smoke and mirrors. the US is set to offer reductions. The Chinese are offering to cut their "Carbon intensity" based on their GDP. It's not a cap and by increasing their GDP and increasing the efficiency of how they use energy by using better tech which is two things they would want to do anyway they could in fact increase overall emissions.
EPA, well, I just read on the controversies surrounding it
Regarding China, I can understand China. They have a huge poor population. American media are still portraying around the world how modern life is supposed to be. The Chinese emulate the West, repeating its mistakes. We are a poor example to follow, frankly.
The national average in the US is $0.12/kwh, Germany's soalr and wind production just like everywhere else could not exist without massive government subsidies. In Spain for example the power companies have driven up such a large debt the one article I read stated they would need to increase rates by 25% just to pay for what the electric was costing. A 33% increase for ten years to pay back the debt. they were able to accomplish this less than decade and still have most of their power coming from fossil fuels.
Here's recent article from Austin Texas:
The conversion to renewable energy is inevitable but you don't drive the bus off the cliff to get there.
So? I mentioned Germany because they have all the knowledge there, which did not fall from the sky, but is the result of the insight long ago (way before Gore) that that is the way to go. And they invested a lot. That does not mean that there are no problems. There is a mighty nuclear lobby, a mighty auto lobby etc. Unfortunately the new German government is linked to those groups.
Times of economic crises are always bad for alternative thinking.
That is a wish Good for you that you won't be around anymore once they are in trouble because of people acting the way you do
You don't seem to realize that there are MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of others in the United States that mirror what I do - and more. For instance, in the area where I reside, a couple - husband and wife (no kids) recently completed construction of a 14,000 sq foot home with a 10 car garage. All the spaces have automobiles in them - and there is a LARGE Motorhome (RV) parked off to the side.
EPA, well, I just read on the controversies surrounding it
Sorry, I'll take the EPA's findings over 1 paragraph in wikipedia that really says nothing anyway. Not that that I wouldn't consider reading something else but you'll need something better than wikipedia as source.
The conversion to renewable energy is inevitable but you don't drive the bus off the cliff to get there.
But Gore basically said that Texas was the most polluted place in the universe when he wanted to be pres! He lied about something else? Who would have thought!
You don't seem to realize that there are MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of others in the United States that mirror what I do - and more. For instance, in the area where I reside, a couple - husband and wife (no kids) recently completed construction of a 14,000 sq foot home with a 10 car garage. All the spaces have automobiles in them - and there is a LARGE Motorhome (RV) parked off to the side.
I believe you. Sounds like a happy kid running around the block, telling passersby with joy that he got an E at school
Sorry, I'll take the EPA's findings over 1 paragraph in wikipedia that really says nothing anyway. Not that that I wouldn't consider reading something else but you'll need something better than wikipedia as source.
Well, maybe because you are American. Over here your agencies such as EPA, FDA etc. are considered a joke, frankly
I believe you. Sounds like a happy kid running around the block, telling passersby with joy that he got an E at school
Yep - they are a "30 something" couple
Let me ask you these questions: Would you, if you could, limit the size of a home that a person(s) could have?
Would you, if you could, limit the size of automobiles one could drive?
The above are serious questions - as your posts would seem to indicate that a persons lifestyle(s) should be closely regulated.
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Good for you that you won't be around anymore once they are in trouble because of people acting the way you do 
