Solar Power
If you're new here, you might want to subscribe to subscribe to email updates or subscribe to this blog in a reader. Thanks for visiting!According to the LA Times, California residents set a record in December by filing 1215 applications for solar subsidies in December this year.
Another record set this year in California - 133 megawatts of solar photovoltaics have been installed so far in 2008.
Solar energy is repeatedly being reported as a bright spot in a darkening economy, and our president elect seems confident that the upsurge in the use of solar power could very well become a key element in economic recovery. It is already a definitely growing industry and no one who is rooted into the solar energy business seems very worried about losing their job due to our recent recession.
A key factor encouraging home owners to go solar has been the new federal tax incentives for those using solar power. Furthermore, people are looking to save money on routine expenses and using solar power is one great way to do that - particularly if you live in sunny California.
Solar power and other alternative energy solutions are also quite effective in colder climates. There are drawbacks - such as the fact that snow might have to be cleaned off of solar panels in order to keep them operational, cloudy skies mean less effective energy generation, and ice collecting on windmill blades can cause all sorts of trouble. But nevertheless, cold Scandinavia is one of the areas where solar power is utilized the most. And photovoltaic panels, like any electronics, work more effectively when they are cold.
However possibly one of the biggest drawbacks which has prevented some home owners from installing solar power has been the cost. The good news on this is that technological advancements are making it possible for costs in solar power implementation to drop considerably.
In the last 30 years, solar energy costs have dropped over 50%. But another factor is likely to help drop those costs even further. As large businesses grow increasingly serious about installing broad scale solar power as their company’s energy sources, this leads to an increase in demand as well as mass production. Mass production brings costs down further, putting solar power in within even better reach for the everyday consumer.
Meanwhile, government incentives and tax deductions aim to make alternative energy solutions easier to implement. Its really the initial investment which costs more - the long-term savings that can be had through the use of solar power is well worth it, providing you can afford the initial installation.
Tags: California, Government, Tax Incentives, Tax RebatesJapan and Solar Power
Japan as usual is working on staying ahead where technology is concerned. Fortunately, for a country so densely populated and so technologically oriented, that includes solar technology.
The Japanese government has recently announced that it will be putting $145 million toward solar power in the next few months. I’m not sure exactly how the money will be spent, whether on subsidies, incentives, or what not. But the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry stated that it aims to have solar power installed in 70% of new Japanese homes. It also aims to develop more refined technologies, implement solar power education in schools, and install solar power grid connections. Source: UPI.
Another example of the Japanese government’s interest in solar power takes place 80 kilometers north of Tokyo. In one of Japans sunniest areas, 550 homes have had solar panels installed for free, as an experimental part of a study on solar power implementation. A housewife in one home talks about receiving money back for the extra power she generates, and at high noon on a sunny day, up to four driers could be run at once with the solar power generated for one of these homes.
You can see more details and information about this in the video below.
Tags: Japan
