Transition Period for New Jersey Solar Program

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=48686

After eighteen months of project delays, job cuts and angst about the future for many businesses in the New Jersey solar industry, the state's solar program has started moving again as more funds were released for projects waiting in a queue at the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). However, there is still some question about where the program will go next and how upcoming changes to the market structure will impact the industry.

Because of the high number of applications submitted to the Clean Energy Program (CEP) for up-front solar rebates starting in 2005, the BPU quickly exceeded its budget, thus holding up the approval of many projects. A queue was then created to manage the flow of applications. Ironically, the high level of interest in rebates caused a slowdown in the market as more applications piled up. To date, there are over 1,200 applications waiting in line at the BPU.

With the release of $47 million for residential and commercial projects, the queue has moved—mostly for installations under 10-kilowatts (kW). However, all the money budgeted through 2008 has been spent, leaving many applicants wondering when they will get an up-front rebate.

According to a non-scientific survey conducted by the Mid-Altlantic Solar Energy Industries Association (MSEIA), the slowdown at the BPU caused some turmoil for the state’s solar industry—resulting in a sharp drop in business, significant job cuts and loss of investors. The survey results show that “62 percent of responding companies laid people off…81 percent of responding companies have reduced, and in many cases, eliminated marketing and sales efforts… 77% report a loss of investors over the last year.” A total of 21 companies responded to the survey.

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[NJCher]

1. I have a friend caught up in that slowdown

Sent him the article. Thanks for posting it.



Cher

[NNadir]

2. We seem to have a number of failed solar programs around.

Of course nothing beats Governor Hydrogen Hummer's brazillion solar roofs bill for failure.

The number of gas fired power plants shut by all this solar talk is still zero. As best we can tell, all of the energy generated from solar electricity is consumed by websites promoting the wonders of solar energy.

[jpak]

3. Failed??? That's funny - they are victims of they're own success if anything.

The California legislature swiftly fixed the time-of-day pricing problem with - the CSI is back on track.

The New Jersey program was overwhelmed with applicants and rapidly spent its budgeted funds - new money is now entering the system and the applications in the queue are now being processed.

If we want to look at a failed program we need look no farther than the moribund US nuclear power industry.

105 US reactors were built since 1957 - 110 were canceled with stranded costs in excess of $112 billion.

None have been ordered since 1973.

What does it take to build a new nuclear reactor in the US today???

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, millions of dollars in campaign contributions to the GOP, kneepads and a closed door session with Dick Cheney.

Korporate K-Street Kriminals at their Whorish Worst....

[NNadir]

4. Failed in the sense that it has done nothing to eliminate fossil fuels in this state.

I don't measure success in inability to produce either energy or plants.

Thank you for advocating the waste of my tax dollars on your trust fund brat subsidy for the well-off, but it won't mean a hill of beans. If I recall, you were here recently exulting about the plans to build coal in my state - none of which would be necessary if we built nuclear power plants, since just one large one would produce more energy than all of the solar plants in the United States.

In fact the vast solar subsidy for the rich here has not had a significant effect on energy production here. Thus it is a failure, since what we need is to eliminate fossil fuels in New Jersey (because of our nuclear plants we're half-way there.)

In fact, Japan put two nuclear plants on line last year that outproduce all of the solar energy of California and New Jersey on line.

Your remarks about Dick Cheney are typical of the fact that you know almost nothing about the subject of energy and thus need to distract from the bankruptcy of your position.

You want to talk about 1973. Now I know you know zero about history and a similar amount about numbers, since you have a particularly fraudulent way of representing numbers.

Here are the figures for the production of nuclear energy dating from going back to the Eisenhower administration:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/pdf/pages/sec9_5.pdf

In 1973, around the time that people began talking about how solar energy was going to save the world, the total output of nuclear power plants was - can you read? - 83.5 billion kilowatt-hours. In 2005 it was 780 billion kilowatt-hours.

A failure?

The solar industry as of 2004 was producing 0.579 billion kilowatt-hours, mostly on the roofs of corporate facilities trying to greenwash themselves - like your friends at Walmart - and the roofs of rich trust fund brats.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/trends/table11.html

Note that all these numbers use units of energy.

Note that in the Clinton-Gore years, nuclear energy production increased from 618 billion kilowatt-hours to 753 billion kilowatt-hours.

Let me guess. You think that Dick Cheney was controlling President Clinton's brain with special rays?

As for Governor Hydrogen Hummer and his brazillion solar roofs bill, you were here with all kinds of praise for it the last time it was passed. It isn't going to mean shit. It's a marketing toy.