Presidential Candidates Views On Solar
Solar businesses are in perilous times. No matter what the reality is and what the future will hold for solar power in the United States society moving forward, there are for some differences between what Mitt Romney and President Obama feel are the priorities. Whether you listened to the Denver debate or not, it seems clear that the Romney campaign is upset with the previous funding that helped the green energy movement a few years ago. Whether it was 90 Billion dollars, or a much smaller amount, solar funding and investments in clean energy is once again a hot topic.
Small solar electric system.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the Romney camp seems overly pessimistic on the opportunity that solar power can offer the United States. And what is scary is that there are many people who also think that solar energy won’t work (recent article). In his comments that nearly half of the solar companies which received loans and other financial assistance are now out of business was just the beginning. It seems that if he was elected president, he would rather pour money into dirty energy projects compared to the long-term research that clean energy requires. And why is this? What are the goals of this country? Do we really want to push back the date of our true energy independence? And I’m not just talking about fossil fuels and oil from other countries. We all live on planet earth. And because everyone agrees that there is a limited amount of resources on the planet, doesn’t it seem useless to develop and invest even one dollar more into this soon to be obsolete energy plan?
The Obama Administration has not been perfect, and they have most definitely not made perfect decisions towards solar. But perfection is never possible. What is more important is the advancements that the US green economy has already made, and the future goals that are even more important. Obama understands that clean energy is important. He understands that billions of dollars are necessary to lower our energy dependence on foreign sources. And he knows that we still have a long way to go in all areas of clean energy.
Solar Energy in the Future
The future of solar is bright. The sun is still shinning, and solar panel electricity output is continuing to grow. Utility companies are not going out of business, and more and more homes are installing solar panels on their roofs. But more is needed. Much more. One example of necessary change is with regards to the utility companies who are one of the biggest obstacles at the moment to the solar industry. Not all, but many of the large utilities have imposed rules and regulations which make installing solar panels virtually impossible for many homeowners. Yes, the electric lines are their property, and they should be in control of them. And yes, a PV solar system does connect to the utility grid. That is true. But to impose un-acheivable rules and requirements for the average solar contractor just to make sure that a home does not have solar must be changed. This is where either of the presidential candidates could do a whole lot of good.
Solar Businesses Next Move
What is the next step for the solar industry? Everybody who is even remotely involved with clean solar power needs to buckle down and strap on your boots. Change is nothing new to this expanding industry, and the next four years will undoubtedly see more of it once again. Whether solar module prices continue to fall or once again rise is uncertain. But what is definite is that the more solar energy we produce as a country, the better off everyone will be. We all have a responsibility to our planet to preserve it as much as possible. Better yet, let’s all try to leave it better than we found it. That is going to take a team effort, especially to overcome the political, local, and financial challenges that are in-front of us. If the solar businesses give up now, it will be a total loss, but if we continue to move forward the rewards both financial and environmental are limitless.
