Some of you might think this point is moot. For others, it may be the ultimate dream for one of today’s most exciting fields in science and technology. Can solar power grow to provide all or most of our energy needs? If it could, would it? And if it would, should it?

I am certainly no pessimist about solar power, but neither am I a watery-eyed dreamer gazing at the sunrise with tear-jerking visions of flying solar-powered cars or islands floating on air. The pessimist view sees even a significant contribution to US energy consumption by solar power as a pipe dream, and an expensive one given all the incentive and research money that has and will be handed out to the solar cause.

On the other hand, there can also be a bit of hyperbole and over-excitement on the optimist side – people wearing sandwich board signs declaring, “The Sun is Coming,” and “Renew! For The End of Coal is Nigh!” Well, maybe not that hyperbolic, but there is a real tendency toward extreme positivism in the solar industry (more so a few years ago, pre-recession). Declarations for the building of “the largest solar power plant in the world” are almost a daily occurrence. Utilities have signed power purchase agreements for space solar power projects that don’t have funding yet and haven’t even been tested. Hundreds of projects in0 the desert Southwest once broadcast to the world as evidence of the solar revolution have hit a brick wall in the permitting stages. (more…)

The solar industry, in which we at CalFinder Solar are blessed to play our part, has grown by leaps and bounds in 2008 and we are very thankful to our blog readers and the overall willpower of the world to embrace renewable energy.

Originally the idea of this post was to pick five or so blogs from last year and have a little 2008 review session – an easy enough task considering the wealth of memorable stories and products that have filled my mind and imagination in the last 12 months. Yet, when I began my own review process, I could never get far from what I perceive to be the biggest story of the year for solar enthusiasts in the United States: the renewal (or not) of federal solar tax credits set to expire at the end of 2008.

The Spring

We began covering this story way back in April when the Senate first passed the Clean Energy Stimulus Act of 2008. Here, of course, was where the excitement began. The bill passed the Senate by a large majority and it included huge incentive change for American homeowners; a removal of the $2,000 cap on residential tax credits. We were all optimistic. It seemed that just getting this bill on the Senate floor would surely be enough considering the obvious potential of the solar industry. Who could say no?

But that bill did not pass the house and the issue went back and forth between the Senate and House–with veto threats from President Bush sounding loud and defeating the purpose — for a scary amount of time. Suddenly, excitement turned to apprehension.

The Summer

In July I published a post titled Solar Rebates Set to Expire. It was mid-year (very late in the year if you’re counting on Congress to get something big done) and political posturing and powerful lobbies were effectually burying our solar hopes for 2009. That bill was called the Foreclosure Prevention Act and was a foreshadow for things to come. That bill passed Congress and was handed to the President, and still nothing happened. (more…)

If you’re reading this, you obviously care about the environment and, as a result,  are aware of the great solar energy content that CalFinder publishes on a daily basis.  We’re very happy to announce that you can now add this content to your very own website or blog.

Just click on this link or the graphic above to add a completely customizable widget today. And as always, let us know if you have any comments or would like to see any other features added to the Residential Solar Power Blog.