As people put up solar panels, whether for the energy savings or because they are barking moonbat climate changers, they could run in to a wee bit of a problem
 Solar energy customers are worried a new fee proposed by Xcel Energy would punish new customers for getting solar panels.
 The monthly fee, which would pay for distribution and transmission of energy, would go into effect in April 2010 and would have to be paid to Xcel, regardless of whether the solar customer used any electricity that month. Customers who got solar panels before April 2010 would not have to pay the fee.
Tom Henley, an Xcel Energy spokesman, initially told 7NEWS that implementing the fee would level the playing field for electricity users who are currently subsidizing connectivity fees for solar users, who sometimes use no electricity in a given month and therefore, pay no electrical fees.
“We just don’t think it’s fair that customers that don’t have solar panels on their homes should subsidize these solar panel customers any further,†said Henley.
Of course, we find out that Xcel energy is simply going to pocket the money. Interesting that Henley is using Obama/Liberal speak for what they want to do, eh? And let’s not forget that any fees like this will have to be , generally, approved by a Public Utilities Commission, like this one. Every place I have ever lived has one, and what are they? An entity of the government. Anyone think some of this money will end up in the governments pocket?
Part of the problem is that the power plants have to be run at full bore, regardless of any sort of “alternative” energy sources being used, in order to provide power during peak times, non-windy, non-sunny, nighttime, a giant low hanging around for days and days, etc. Still, I have to side with the solar panel folks on this one. Rather than the One Big Plant method, I would like to see more energy (no pun intended) put in to lowering the cost and raising the efficiency of methods like wind and solar for individual homes. Not only would that give personal savings, but, lower the load on the plants, and allow the plants to spread the power out farther as new homes are built.
OK, on to some Climahysterics
Most college students work during the summer so they can help pay their tuition or other expenses, such as textbooks. A few lucky ones can actually take time off and have fun.
Lesley Xu and five of her friends, however, are hard at work this summer raising awareness about climate change. They warn that if we don’t reduce carbon dioxide emissions, we’ll be in big trouble. They’re talking about global warming.
“We want to mobilize the population and take action,” said Xu, a Marlborough resident majoring in intellectual history at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn.
So, they are biking around and yammering at people who already agree with them, because “Our goal is not to convince the naysayers,” Xu said. Basically, they are agitators who want to get government to “Do Something.” While the biking is a nice start, I’d be more impressed if they were actually living the Climate Change life, rather than agitating and trying to get other entities to be aware. Walk the talk, if you will. Also, I’d be impressed if they found a clue bat to reality.
I promised you Bigfoot (h/t Gore Lied)
Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Whatever you want to call the legendary North American biped, it is likely the elusive beast will lose a portion of its existing habitat in the coastal and lowland regions of the northwestern United States as the climate warms.
Loonies.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU
[…] Teach is looking for Bigfoot or […]
I manage a couple of rental properties. Because of the economy, some of the units have been vacant. Last week I was informed that the city is charging the owner of the properties a base minimum charge for water and sewage even though there is no water being used by the unit, and no sewage being generated by the unit.
If the bill is not paid for 12 months, the city will come and remove the water meter. To have the meter re-installed requires a new impact fee of over $1500 to be paid.
When asked, the water department said “that is the city ordinance.” When I talked to the city, they said “that is the water department’s ruling.”
Like Xcel Electric, this is simply a case of maintaining a revenue stream.
Greetings:
Re: Solar Power Fines
Perhaps, it would help your analysis if you thought of the charges the Xcel company wants to impose as infrastructure fees. If the homeowner wants to remain connected to the electrical grid, which someone had to build and someone has to maintain, I think some kind of fee would be reasonable. If they want to go “off the grid” and place their faith in mother nature’s beneficence , then, perhaps, they should be exempt from the fee, but my sense is that a very small percentage of solar panelists would do so.
I see this as another kind of environmental freeloading, where the enlightened feel entitled to something for nothing. A local example for me is the people who take their bicycles on our local train system. I’m pretty sure that if they were charged a fare for the transport of their equipment, which takes up space and adds weight, they would feel similarly aggrieved. Similarly, the bicyclists think themselves quite entitled to “bike lanes”, which have to be installed and maintained, and that it should be done with no specific charge to them.
Bottom line, infrastructure doesn’t grow on trees. If you use it, make a contribution, don’t let your short arms and long pockets deprive you of that.