The problem with Solar is once someone buys it they can continuously use it for a long time with out participating in the economy. That is unacceptable especially from local grid providers and many in the energy sector and since China makes the best solar panels in quality and quantity that will take us maybe more than 3 years to catch up just in quality, it makes them even more bold in not allowing or making it hard for solar to proliferate. The risk is that the cost of energy will be high enough not to make manufacturing and other sector competitive enough but that does not matter as long as energy sector makes money the US can decline the number one goal is each individuals own goal there is no collective goal unless it just happens to be sadly a goal that is shared and individually beneficial.

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thinkcontext 2 hours ago | parent | next [-]

> The problem with Solar is once someone buys it they can continuously use it for a long time with out participating in the economy.

An odd statement. That could be considered a "problem" for an incumbent energy provider, like say Exxon. But it would be considered a solution for an energy user who would now have more money to devote to something else in the economy.

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mainecoder 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

This is also supported by the Federal gov since recently power inverters were banned and there is no major US maker of power inverters this is purposely a policy designed to stymie Solar proliferation. This policy was bought and paid for by the energy sector.

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cucumber3732842 2 hours ago | parent [-]

It's not just the energy sector though being big business I assume they do the bulk of the lobbying.

The electrician's trade groups and that whole supply chain are also scared shitless of a future where you can't lord a meter connection over people.

To an only slightly lesser degree building inspectors and Karens of all colors are also not fans for similar reasons. In exurban and rural areas (i.e. below a certain density depending on climate) the idea that some guy could just move into an old house or slap up a new building, throw up a bunch of panels on a stand, throw a bunch of batteries in a shed and live there without cutting checks to all sorts of parties and jumping through all sorts of compliance hoops and that you'd have to go after them after the fact is a big threat to these people's ability to micromanage how other people live.

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Schlagbohrer 2 hours ago | parent [-]

But the US also has a large number of people who are extremely interested in "off grid" living (or even just LARPing it), I would expect them to be able to exert a lot of counter pressure

	▲	HappySweeney 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Those people aren't wealthy enough to have any real political power, though.

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exabrial 29 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I don't think that is at all true.

The only real problem is the inverter sync problem. Inverter supply increases grid instability, so much so that most residential units are not allowed to push back into the grid.

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andor 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

With the electrification of transportation and heating, electricity consumption is only going to increase. Not every household will be able to offset this with their own panels. More centralized solar plants and grid-level batteries will still be a thing.

As for panel production, you don’t really have to make them locally. Panels are sold with minimal margins (although your tariffs could allow for some local margins). You can make more money off installation and related services.

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benj111 16 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

How is buying energy from a probably unsavoury regime 'participating' in the economy?

Not sending that money to said regime allows you to spend it locally.

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alexk307 6 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

> they can continuously use it for a long time with out participating in the economy

Yeah, low-cost, low-maintenance, clean energy from the Sun is great and all, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm just not participating the economy enough. Heating and cooling my home with renewable energy is great for my Family and my community but I really should think of the energy sector and their shareholders first.