Top 10 solar countries

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[spookyturtle 9,466]

At least it's a start. We need to do a lot more with solar power. Plus with the way we are destroying the atmosphere, there will be even more sunny weather making solar power even more relevant.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

At least it's a start. We need to do a lot more with solar power. Plus with the way we are destroying the atmosphere, there will be even more sunny weather making solar power even more relevant.

But Obama has done nothing about it and the UN is saying we are "immoral" because Obama does nothing!

[mawilson 2,133]

USA is #5? That's not bad at all.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

USA is #5? That's not bad at all.

Little ole' Germany produces seven times as much solar power than the US. That's what leaders look like.

[Ban Hammer 13,400]

Little ole' Germany produces seven times as much solar power than the US. That's what leaders look like.

their base rate for electricity is probably higher too

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

their base rate for electricity is probably higher too.

True but they use less. My folks have no higher utility bills than I do. In fact, their utility bills are far below mine. Far below.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

USA is #5? That's not bad at all.

And that's ahead of Australia too.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

And that's ahead of Australia too.

Yeah but there was a time when America was #1 and didn't measure itself on how it was doing compared to some penal colony. Ah, the good ole' days.

Edited December 10, 2011 by Mr. Big Dog

[lostinblue 1,989]

Little ole' Germany produces seven times as much solar power than the US. That's what leaders look like.

Chancellor Angela Merkel thinks that subsidies for Germany's solar power industry aren't doing any good, or at least aren't generating enough profit. Speaking at a regional conference of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Tuesday, Merkel said that while wind energy is now almost profitable, in Germany's temperate climate, solar power was still too dependent on government money.

Already over the past two years, Germany has sharply reduced so-called feed-in tariffs, through which investors receive a guaranteed return on generated energy output. Merkel said that solar power was using up 50 percent of the government's budget for renewable energy, but was barely producing two percent of the country's electricity. "That is no rational proportion," the chancellor declared. "We have to do something about it."

Europe is by far the world's biggest market for solar power, yet it largely depends on government subsidies because solar power is still up to eight times more expensive than conventional forms of power like coal and gas

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15437753,00.html

[one...two...tree 2,762]

So what if solar power is currently more expensive than coal. It won't stay that way much longer and the environmental tradeoffs are worth more than any pot of gold. solar power is here to stay and will be the future of energy.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

So what if solar power is currently more expensive than coal. It won't stay that way much longer and the environmental tradeoffs are worth more than any pot of gold. solar power is here to stay and will be the future of energy.

I suggest you not vote for Obama, he does nothing for solar power and is probably going to apporve that oil pipeline this week. He throws environmental people under the bus. Why are we not number 1? We used to be number 1. Why does Obama allow this by doing nothing?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

I suggest you not vote for Obama, he does nothing for solar power and is probably going to apporve that oil pipeline this week. He throws environmental people under the bus. Why are we not number 1? We used to be number 1. Why does Obama allow this by doing nothing?

I'l say this much for Obama, he's no dummy when it comes to opening up this country for oil and gas. He's drill, drill, and drill more. The guy knows this countries fossil fuel resources need to be developed. If he gets reelected Alaska looks to be in for a windfall seeing how he plans on opening up more land up here for oil/gas exploration and development.

[Ban Hammer 13,400]

True but they use less. My folks have no higher utility bills than I do. In fact, their utility bills are far below mine. Far below.

yes, that's usually the case. do remember i lived in europe for 12 years: smaller fridge, no ac, gas heat, probably a smaller apartment too.

it sounds great until one factors in all the variables.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

yes, that's usually the case. do remember i lived in europe for 12 years: smaller fridge, no ac, gas heat, probably a smaller apartment too.

it sounds great until one factors in all the variables.

Sorry, Chuck, but that's not it. My folks don't pay more for utilities while living in a 3/2 house of comparable size to mine. It may be a bit smaller but not significantly. They have the same size side-by-side fridge as I do. Electric stove, gas heat. No a/c, true. But they have to heat that house from mid fall to mid spring which I do not have to worry about. The house there happens to be much better insulated, the appliances more energy efficient than your US average. And that, my friend, is how they don't pay higher utility bills. Not by giving up on comfort but by using energy efficient building materials and appliances. By the time you factor in phone, internet and TV cost for comparable service, they actually pay significantly less than your average US household on their monthly bills. It can be done. If you want to lead rather than be left behind. We opt for the latter, Germany opts for the former.