For a change, Berkeley's crazy left wingers seem to have done something right. Solar panels have always been hard to sell because you basically have to front the cost of almost all of your power for the next 30 years before you get anything back. Under Berkeley's new model, the cost of solar panels is paid for by a loan taken out by the city, and residents pay it back as part of their property taxes. This article is about some people in southern California who are saving money from the new plan implemented by their city. Says one lady, "You know, I am happy it is also good for the environment."
Severin Borenstein (who works in Berkeley) says that we shouldn't fund solar because the technology is inefficient (i.e. it doesn't generate enough power to pay for itself even accounting for the externalities associated with traditional power generation) and it's hard to argue with him given his thorough study. He calls for increased resources to be invested in research, so that better solar panels can be produced.
There may be other ways that cities can use this mechanism to invest in increased energy efficiency, which would be good too. On top of that, though, I have to think that this new means of securing funding for solar might provide the impetus to get the research done that Borenstein calls for. Hopefully most everyone can agree on that!
