I often rail against the regulations put in place that restrict the growth of commerce, business and the economy – minimum wage being one of my favorite ones to hate. Further, I often rail against the religion that is Catastrophic Global Warming. We believe in science, not withcraftery.
Combine those two policies and you can get the traditional republican thug. But it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m not tied to selfish self interests of corporations nor am I a hater of anything alternative energy.
Consider this abuse of government influence:
ATLANTA (AP) — Sunlight is free, but if you use it to make electricity your power company wants you to pay.
Utilities in many states say solar-friendly rate plans, conceived to promote alternative energy sources, are too generous and allow solar customers to avoid paying for the grid even though they use it.
Some power companies are proposing an extra fee for solar customers. Others are trying to roll back or block programs that allow those customers to trade the solar power they generate during sunny days for power they need from the grid during other times.
As rooftop solar expands from a niche product to a mainstream way to save money on power bills, utilities are afraid they will lose so many customers — and revenue — that they won’t be able to afford to build and maintain the grid.
“We want to make sure that as we change the way our system works that all of that is good for all customers,” said Greg Roberts, vice president of pricing and planning at Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power. The utility is proposing additional fees for renewable energy users, including one that would add up to about $22 per month for typical home solar systems.
I don’t support the concept that oil companies should be punished. However, neither do I support the idea that emerging technologies should be bullied by the incumbent.