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This should be an exciting topic, but it's actually depressing. It's depressing, at least to me, because of all the chicanery and stonewalling that takes place at high levels, both in government and in the private sector. That's just my take on it, but solar energy ought to be a no-brainer, as should any other viable alternative energy source.

Who keeps these good ideas bogged down? We all have our own ideas about that, but I'm pretty sure that the answer is "We do" as well as "They do". It's fun to accuse government and the giants of the energy world, and I certainly have, and I'm pretty sure that not all of my accusations have not been without merit, but as energy users and consumers we are also responsible for the lack of pressure on government and the lack of investment in the technologies, "investment" meaning anything from buying a few solar powered yard lights to employing the services of a local solar electrician to buying stock. The more money that gets poured into the industry, the more interesting the industry becomes to bigger investors and to politicians.

We did not complain or editorialize or politic our way into the oilpatch, you know? (It is good to exhort the masses to do a good thing, but then the masses actually have to go out and DO something.) It cost us big money to play this oily game. We bought tickets. Our grandparents helped to build the industry. Our parents helped to build the industry. We helped to build the industry, and we continue to keep it propped up and headed into the future every single day in more ways than we actually understand. We subsidized Big Oil with our individual tiny purchases and made it what it has become. We could do the same thing with anything else if we wanted to.

If the State of California is not interested in financing our interest in solar power, it just might be because we haven't showed enough interest. Locally, Michael Lind has, as have other local solar systems electricians and engineers, but people in general haven't, or at least not enough people.

A caveat: Getting government involved in anything you do that you could do quite well on your own can have unintended consequences.

Hmm. As I re-read what I wrote, I can see how it might be construed my intent was to take exception to what Michael wrote and/or suggested. Not so. Sorry if it seemed that way. Michael's advice is good.

I would like to comment that property tax exclusions for solar systems amount to government subsidies (socialism) of something that should stand or fall in the free market system. To promote or accept government subsidies is to sell our freedom and independence for a mess of pottage as the old saying goes. We shouldn't allow government (other peoples' money) to subsidize ANY private free market activity. 'Alternative energy' has always been existing on government money and is wasteful and not cost effective. Let the free market prevail.-Ed Nemechek-760-246-8059

A little socialism is a good thing, Ed. At least half of America believes that openly, and most of corporate America believes the same thing as long as the welfare is coming to them. I think that you're defending a minority viewpoint.

The solar rebate system, as it stands now, is completely failing due to the door being locked down with red tape, according to a friend who has been installing solar for over 15 years. He told me that this is his worst year as a consequence of the latest initiatives.

Ed: Our dependence on oil is costing the US a tremendous amount of money. It has become a national security issue. I'd suggest that the good old USA would stand to benefit if it invested in wind power and solar power. Sadly the USA is actually just a pluralized oligarchy which is not interested in national security. The more I hear otherwise from the corporate sponsored media the less I watch it. The pluralized oligarchy is interested in its own $ecurity and $tatu$ quo - this is the bottom line. Watch as a Demo gets elected in 2008 and nothing changes - mark my words.

In conclusion, the government is making it harder for us to go solar even though it appears otherwise. Check with a solar installer and see for your self.

phalarope: It's the right viewpoint. Socialism is destroying this country. We're not just looking at a little socialism, we're looking at wall to wall socialism. There seems no end to government subsidies. Have you looked at the national debt lately? The bigger government gets the less freedom we have, until government becomes an unstoppable plundering blob of mindless bureaucrats stepping on a human face forever (to paraphrase Orwell) as is happening now and for a long time past. For no entity in history has shown itself to be more evil than government and its' hoards of sub-human politicians, bureaucrats, commissars, and jack booted police and military (our government being no exception), and we must stop the steamroller of big government and roll it back to constitutional limits if we are to save our great republic from the police state horror the big money boys have planned for us. With a couple more arrainged terrorist attacks over our wide open borders (see:www.JBS.org (search: secure borders) our leaders, being stooges of their big money bosses, will likely be able to impose martial law on a duped American people who still think their leaders are patriots who are on their side. I think we had better wake up now. -Ed Nemechek-760-246-8059.

The oil co's receive subsidies - does that make them socialists?

Spaz Zapper: The answer to any 'oil problem' is to get government regulation off the backs of the oil companies (ANY and ALL domestic oil companies, especially the small, and very small companies) and NOT subsidize them. This will eliminate our deliberatly created dependence on foreign oil as there is hundreds of years supply of oil in the U.S. by geologic estimates. We are being suckered into investing in phony 'alternative' energy sources that weaken our national position and have never worked economically and have no immediate future, i.e., solar, wind, ethanol, hydrogen, electric cars, burning cow chips, car tires, ad infinitum. All these pollute in some way, usually more than oil, because of maintenance requirements (oil changes, electricity generation, etc.). Our national security issue has been created by the government stopping the oil companies from drilling where they want to. If the government would get out of the way the oil companies, large and small, would produce extremely cheap oil and gas and we would be energy independent, including nuclear. Private enterprise will rebuild our country if we only get out of its' way. -Ed Nemechek.

I heard from a reliable source that there are 500 years worth of oil -that could supply the entire planet's needs - in Alaska alone, so I am skeptical about 'peak oil' claims. Regardless, it is my firm belief that there are an infinite amount of ways to generate electricity and that we just have to get out of the way of our imaginations. It seems obvious to me that at some point we will have solar paint, solar asphalt and solar shingles. Wind turbines have made huge technological advances recently as well. To top it off, battery technology is exploding and this alone will shake the very foundations of the energy/military monopoly that has concentrated so much power into the hands of greedy incompetents and emotional illiterates.

Ed --

Are you saying that you have never benefited from any socialist programs at any time in your life, and that if were to be proved that you had ever benefited thusly that you would be willing to repay to the citizens of the U.S. everything you owed them?

Ed: You keep using the word socialism.. It seems to me that you have fallen in to the 'red scare' trap. You see, during the 'red scare', it was impossible to have any intelligent political discourse. It is the grown up's way of calling out names and then sticking their fingers in their ears and saying: na na nana naaa da da daaaa. Republican's have perfected this children's game and your use of it weakens your credibility in my eyes. Your intractable positioning make me think you are over compensating for an inadequate understanding of politcal theory.