http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/05/08/new-efforts-may-harness-sun-light/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/05/08/new-efforts-may-harness-sun-light/comment-page-1/#comment-1080558 Arglebarglefarglegleep Mon, 30 Aug 2010 06:49:09 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/05/08/new-efforts-may-harness-sun-light/#comment-1080558 A little known economics bar to solar is the banking industry. For decades if you wanted to install solar in a house, the banks wanted a significantly large backup system such as separate gas or electric water heater or they refused to loan money to build or buy. The duplication raised the cost of going solar which increases long term economic pay back. This put off potential buyers and home improvement applicants. It also made loans harder to qualify for by increasing the base amount above what solar adds which is significant. Between cheap energy and often bizarre bank loan restrictions on solar, [or any non-standard building design] the consumer demand was killed off. And on top of that, being contrary, the tax assessor would increase your property taxes for solar giving the payback another hit. A little known economics bar to solar is the banking industry. For decades if you wanted to install solar in a house, the banks wanted a significantly large backup system such as separate gas or electric water heater or they refused to loan money to build or buy. The duplication raised the cost of going solar which increases long term economic pay back. This put off potential buyers and home improvement applicants. It also made loans harder to qualify for by increasing the base amount above what solar adds which is significant. Between cheap energy and often bizarre bank loan restrictions on solar, [or any non-standard building design] the consumer demand was killed off.
And on top of that, being contrary, the tax assessor would increase your property taxes for solar giving the payback another hit.

]]> http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/05/08/new-efforts-may-harness-sun-light/comment-page-1/#comment-1065688 Everything Old IS New Again! Ideas on Solar Energy from the October 1934 Issue of Popular Science. : Windermere - Andrew Stone Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:44:14 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/05/08/new-efforts-may-harness-sun-light/#comment-1065688 [...] October of 1934 Popular Science published this article on Solar Energy and the future that it would hold for us. Why does it seem today that we are just [...] [...] October of 1934 Popular Science published this article on Solar Energy and the future that it would hold for us. Why does it seem today that we are just [...]

]]>