Solar cells

[hedwig]

I thouight always that the renewable energy law in Germany is a good thing, but now there is a study saying that it helps producers to big profits, while consumers buying solar panels pay too much. That much more perople would buy solar panels if the prices would be lowered which is possible as producing costs are falling. But the renewable energy law guarantees I think 50 cents per kWh, that produces don't drop prices. Meanwhile shareholders have big profits.

This is only in German:


http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,475552,00.html

[gardenlen]

g'day hedwig,

the same over here to mate, this so called renewable energy to me only for the rich and famous the average person got no hope of ever affording it, and whilst rebates persist that is going to be the status quo, the suppliers turn the rebates into cream on their profits.

len

[richard in manoa]

Well, you know, a responsible consumer accounts for the hidden costs in everything they buy right? If your consumption of coal or nuclear energy kills your planet, there's a pretty huge cost there isn't there? In that light, (sorry for the pun), solar is pretty cheap isn't it? You can blame the corporations and governments as much as you like, but ultimately it is also each an every consumer that determines how electricity is generated... If you don't like greenhouse electricity, just don't use it. :(

[hedwig]

coal is subsidized as well in "kohlepfennig " (I'm not shure if it still exsists in Germany and hre in QLD with special tarifs for hot water.
The bad thing is that it begun so goood with the renewable energy law an this law created much workplace as well. BUt if there is something to earn alwys the false people smell the profit.

[gardenlen]

g'day hedwig,

the hot water tarrif is if you have a special control unit that only allows your h/w system to opperate in off peak times ie.,. 10pm to 6 am or something like that. tarrif 31 i think it is.

like the farmers they get a special tarrif for running their electric pumps in similar off peak times.

people need affordable power in our systems, simply due to profiteering and one off type manufacture renewables are out of the reach of those on the lower socio economic scale, and for me i can't see the sense in creating more of those even less advantages people in our communities, as it is lots can no longer afford rent and are sleeping out in tents and caravans where ever they can, this has been the gov's doing by it not being involved in public housing and leaving it to the private sector to supply homes affordable for these people to live in.

len