jajagabor

Is Solar Power Inherently Deflationary?

There is all this talk about solar not paying back for so many years -- and yes, that is a real factor. But on an individual level, the person or family that buys a new car or SUV every few years (which has always been very common custom in this country, and treated as a normal "investment" for some reason), and which is usually not necessary at all, and pays $20,000 or more, is probably never going to recoup his investment (duh).

Here are some obvious reasons:

Most states charge more in proportion on tag/title costs the newer the vehicle -- so that goes up.

A newer vehicle, if financed (as is usually the case), requires full coverage, and because it is new, ANY coverage on the vehicle will be higher than before. Yet, do you see articles discouraging people from buying new cars and trucks? NO, because that would "hurt the economy." (read: auto manufacturers, insurance companies etc.)

The book value of any new vehicle drops usually instantly at least by $1000-$2000 as soon as it leaves the dealer's lot.

A typical solar installation, in a state with incentives of some type, usually will cost about the same as a new car, and will start paying back instantly in lower utility bills. In addition, solar panels are warrantied for 20-25 years. Automobiles obviously are not warrantied in that range.

Unless the new vehicle is a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or just plain more economical, there is even the possibility that it will get less mpg than previously, especially since our society generally still puts status on bigger vehicles. And people are vain and silly enough to want such earmarks of "success."

Insofar as nuclear, frflyer really summed the situation up very well. However, I don't think even he mentioned some of the hidden costs, like the reprocessing of spent fuel rods, which taxpayers are socked with. Likewise, while Yucca Mountain was mentioned, there is certainly no guarantee that it will even ever open -- or should. It is said that there are more faults in the earth in that area of Nevada than practically anywhere else on earth. Even if it does open, it is still very expensive to maintain -- and the costs are passed on to us.

In short, it is insane that we didn't initiate a huge transition to renewable technologies ages ago. Read Aldous Huxley's comment on Solar Thermal Power from his 1939 novel, "After Many a Summer Dies the Swan," at my website:

www.simpleandclear.com...