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It does have two appeals though: 1. Decentralized generation may be good for the network. Even if we have large utility-owned solar plants, it would be bette
by hakfoo 8y ago
It does have two appeals though:
1. Decentralized generation may be good for the network. Even if we have large utility-owned solar plants, it would be better if you can put a few hundred square metres in each neighbourhood, rather than 500 square kilometres together in the middle of nowhere. Reduced waste of energy from transmission-wire resistance, and less load on old/fragile parts of the grid if most of the current is being drawn from a nearby solar farm.
2. A way for consumers to hedge on electricity prices. From a financial perspective, there's not a big difference between "You get this 20-year lease/financing for a 5kW solar setup for $80 per month" and "You're contracting for 900 kilowatthours per month for the next 20 years, at a fixed rate of about 9 cents per kilowatthour, regardless of inflation or rate hikes."
- AmericanChopper 8y agoIt’s appealing for lots of reasons. Consuming clean energy that the sun freely deposits on your roof is a remarkably appealing idea. But sadly it does not appeal as a realistic solution to energy demands.
- votepaunchy 8y ago> A way for consumers to hedge on electricity prices. From a financial perspective, there's not a big difference between "You get this 20-year lease/financing for a 5kW solar setup for $80 per month" and "You're contracting for 900 kilowatthours per month for the next 20 years, at a fixed rate of about 9 cents per kilowatthour, regardless of inflation or rate hikes." This is a hedge against improvements in energy production as likewise you may be locked into a higher rate.