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Solar systems are an investment that creates an immediate payback in increased home value and down the road in reduced energy costs.  When remodeling a kitchn, nobody asks for a payback, because there is none in monetary form, it is considered an investment or done because we enjoy an updated kitchen. 

The other point is that we have not calculated the true cost of other energy sources.  How many billions have we spend for salmon recovery because of the presence of hydroelectric dams.   We don't pay for that directly via our utility bill.  We do not put a cost on environmental degradation, air, water, and soil pollution as a result of energy production from oil, coal, gas, or nuclear.  However there are huge costs that often come years or decades later in the form of a superfund site cleanup for example.  If we included these costs into the energy generation, solar would look really good all of a sudden.  We as a society need to make choice - do we want to continue our polluting ways or do we want to put more money into research of more efficient renewable energy.  In my opinion, there is only one answer.

posted 3 years, 11 months ago
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