WILL POWER REPORT: SOLAR POWER—MONOPOLY OR FREE?

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this
 
Nothing but the Truth!
 
By Will Power
 
March 14, 2011 (San Diego)--As gasoline approaches $5.00 a gallon, the public continues to wonder “Where’s the Solar”? The fact is Big Oil and Big Energy has been dragging their feet to keep their energy monopoly alive. 
 
What’s does the devil look like to an oil executive?  Picture a homeowner with a completely solar roof, a windmill, and an electric car`!  Horror of Horrors?  How’s a man to make a profit?
 
Big energy has a different solar model. Under the Monopoly system, Big Energy buys up ALL available solar panels and builds huge industrial hundred acre solar plants in the desert.  Then Big Energy charges the customer whatever the market will bear, plus the costs of electrical transmission lines, batteries, and other expensive accessories that keep the power going at night.
 
When will the long-awaited ‘economy of scale” kick in? Probably as soon as the US decides investing in solar is a matter of National Security.  China now leads the world in solar cell production, while the US backs failing companies closing their US production plants.
 
It’s a no-brainer the free-market model is best for consumers.  But Big Energy has the money and muscle to control the subsidies needed to get solar off the ground.  You can bet the energy lobby will not rest until solar is under their control!
 
Will Power is a retired history teacher and creative writing instructor.  The views in this column reflect those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine.

  


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.