Elizabeth McGowan at SolveClimate writes in Reuters that Senator Bernie Sanders has found a
GOP Ally for Senator Sanders's 10 Million Solar Roofs Bill. McGowan suggests the independent Sanders has trumped everyone by achieving "tripartisanship, finding both a Democratic, and Republican Senator to sponsor his independent bill.
The adept Vermont independent has lured New Mexico Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman into co-sponsoring his reinvented measure aimed at sparking installation of solar power systems atop 10 million homes and businesses within the next decade.
Sanders expects his "10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2011" (S. 1108) to have its first public airing this month at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, a panel Bingaman chairs. In a nutshell, Sanders's bill would recognize and reward communities intent on streamlining cumbersome solar energy permitting processes into economical and efficient models.
"As we lower the cost of solar energy and increase our use of solar, we can create hundreds of thousands of good-paying manufacturing and installation jobs in this country," Sanders said about his effort to make access to solar more affordable. "This bill also sets strong targets for American solar energy production, to ensure we compete vigorously with China and Europe for solar energy jobs."
I encourage folks to read this excellent and very long article in its entirety. Fair Use Guidelines prevent me from quoting but a few more paragraphs. But, this article really surprised me in it's detailed description of how much local inspection and approvals can add to the cost, of a home solar installation, as little as a few hundred dollars to as much as $2,500 dollars depending on where you live.
McGowan tells us that in many places the local utilities use local zoning, and construction permitting processes to throw up obstacles to block solar installation. And that the most powerful aspect of Sanders bill is to standardize, and streamline the permitting process to cut red tape and bureaucracy.
In the 2010 version of Sanders’s bill, DOE estimated that the nation could bump electricity production from solar to 40,000 megawatts by 2020 by outfitting 10 million homes with photovoltaic’s (PV).
...
Energy experts predict that pumping $200 million annually into such efforts could drop the total installed cost of utility-scale solar electricity 75 percent from today's rates by 2020. That $1 per watt price would put it on par with power from fossil fuels — minus emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.
Realistically, permitting and inspection fees should average out to several hundred dollars or even less, Masia told SolveClimate News. But those fees can add at least $2,500 to a typical system, according to calculations in a January report issued by the solar financing company SunRun.
And, what better article could we find to launch this inaugural edition of the new group, Kosowatt dedicated to encouraging Kossacks to support, and install solar, wind, geothermal, tidal and other clean, renewable, and sustainable energy generation options, and to encourage conservation, and efficiency improvements to reduce pollution, radioactive wastes, and carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emission to our atmosphere.
Please click on the "follow" option in the group profile help us lead the way forward to cleaner, safer, renewable and sustainable energy options in the future.
9:54 PM PT: I notice that 30% of 200 poll reponders indicate they will follow Kosowatt. This should be 60 people, The actual number signed up is 31 and a few people asked how to follow a group.
There are a couple of ways, if you click on the Kosowatt group either at the top of my diary, the Groups list, or in my HoundDog profile, you will be on our group page. If you select the group profile, on the left hand side you will see a flag and a little heart labeled follow. If you click on this you will discover our publications in your stream.
Thu Jun 09, 2011 at 6:26 AM PT: Hi All,
We've had such a great response to setting up this group, I'm ovewhelmed and appreciative at all the folks that have signed up to be followers.
Now, I'd like to invite those of you following Kosowatt who are intereseted in writing articles and doing a bit more group-building work to consider becoming contributors.
I'd be delighted to have folks like you join up and help.
This is the first group I've started that actually has members. I started the Journal of NonFactual Studies, to rag on Republicans like Senator Kyl who thing they can get away lying to us about everything, and Hydrant to do Onion, and Monty Python kind of humor, but haven't recieved much response.
I'm an editor and even blog/admin at a bunch of other work, but quite honestly, I have let others, who founded them do all the work.
Hey, I'm just being honest, folks.
So, I am eager to have as much help as possible, and also arrange this group so that every participant can engage at whatever level they like and the skills and willingness to contribute.
And, this group covers such a wide range of topics. activities, needs and opportunities it seems like we have plenty of room for lots of editors and contributors.
So, unless wiser souls convince me I'm making a terrible mistake,I'd like to extend an invitation to all of you who are already following to consider becoming editors.
My understanding is this would enable you to publish articles "for Kosowatts."
I think as followers you can still participate in the group mails, and all that
I've started sending out invitations to some of you, whom I know, and have worked with at JNI, and other gruops.
But, I haven't figured out how to send out blanket invites, and we already have about 50 or more members I think. Which is great.
So, if I haven't reached you yet, and you are eager to hlep, please send a message to the Kosowatt group, and I'll make you an editor. And, you can help me send out invites to all the others.
Cheers, and thanks so much for such a tremendous response.
I'm getting a real "charge" out of this, and have a very "positive" feeling about keeping all "current" with the opportunities for electrical and other kinds of renewable power generation.
Cheers.
HoundDog
Thu Jun 09, 2011 at 8:02 AM PT: Gabriel D just designed this cool Follow Kosowatt link for us. Thanks.
Follow Kosowatt