Comments on: $30 Million Tax Credit for Offshore Wind in Democrats’ Tax Bill http://cleantechnica.com/2010/12/14/30-million-tax-credit-for-offshore-wind-in-democrats-tax-bill/ Clean Tech News & Views: Solar Energy News. Wind Energy News. EV News. & More. Tue, 30 Dec 2014 19:21:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1 By: Susan Kraemer http://cleantechnica.com/2010/12/14/30-million-tax-credit-for-offshore-wind-in-democrats-tax-bill/#comment-62019 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:57:30 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=20174#comment-62019 One big problem for rooftop solar is 8 out of 10 people won’t or can’t do it. In these days, even $1,000 for a down payment or credit is a problem, even though they save money long term. So I think we need both utility-scale AND rooftops/homes and businesses. (also the tax incentives for 30% off rooftop’ solar is extended till 2013 already, so it is not news).

]]> By: Bernard http://cleantechnica.com/2010/12/14/30-million-tax-credit-for-offshore-wind-in-democrats-tax-bill/#comment-61985 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:52:06 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=20174#comment-61985 I agree that the government should help develop the infrastructure as it did for the telegraph, and railroad. However, there is a huge difference between energy production and transportation or telecommunications: energy generation can be home-based, or community-based. Our government has already made the implicit choice that it wants energy to be generated centrally by big (or soon to be big) corporations. I’m aware that homeowners get incentives too, but by total amount, it’s quite limited.

I’d love to know if there’s a study somewhere that compares the cost and job creation power of building and maintaining 1) the 250-megawatt California Valley Solar Ranch solar plant, and 2) installing solar panels on 100,000 homes. The study would have to take into account the fact that with local/home-based power generation, the need for a sophisticated grid is lessened (not removed, but not as critical), and that would be a huge cost saving.

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