4 ms·

I haven't lived in California for decades now, was renewable energy ever promised as a solution to lower electricity bills or only as an environmental imperativ

• quantified 3y ago
  Depends on how you mean it. Having your own solar panels or solar hot water, definitely. Although I personally think that a grid hookup should have some minimum cost to cover infrastructure at least, and selling electricity back from your home to the grid should be at a wholesale price not your full retail for receiving electricity since that covers technical glitches and incentivizes the grid to carry it. Utilities going renewable: not realistically, though maybe romantically. It's more about the ecological impact.
  • flagrant_taco 3y ago
    Well that's good at least, I was mostly considering the utility use of renewable ls since the GP mentioned power bills when renting I wasn't impressed with state politicians when I lived in CA, I Das just wondering if they tried to justify investment in renewable as a cheaper solution for consumers. Glad to hear you didn't notice them over promise and instead focused more on the ecological benefits
    • quantified 3y ago
      Whatever the politicians say, you need to look at things realistically. Which is easier for economics and physical reality than politics and sociology, and when you get to foreign relations it's difficult to have the depth in an area to be realistic.
• hengestone 3y ago
  Late answer: we added $20k of solar panels to our roof in SoCal in late 2020. Get back about $1.8k from the utility every year, instead of $300-600 per month bill. All else staying the same, the system will be paid off in about 3 years (6 years after installation). FWIW There was a tax rebate of $5500 at the time.