[XCSSA] RE: Solar Green event day in SA

[xcssa@xcssa.org]

On Mon, 2007-05-21 at 06:01 -0500, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org wrote:
> > Here is an interesting approach to Home Solar Power:
> >
> >> http://renu.citizenre.com/
> > Cheers, Storey
> 
> 
> My wife and I saw them a couple of weeks ago at Austin's Old Pecan Street
> Festival. I like the idea except for two things:
> 1. They try for $0 balance tied into the grid. If you start selling power back
> to the grid, they will take a panel off your roof. Otherwise, they end up
> becoming a utility company and become more tightly regulated. Good for them, not
> necessarily good for the end user if they want some extra buffer on their bills.
> 
> 2. I asked the rep what would happen if a panel got damaged, and he said the
> homeowner's insurance should cover it. Huh??? I'm thinking if a company rents
> equipment like this, they should replace any damaged panels since it's their
> panels, not mine.
> 
> Both good and bad in this one, but still a pretty good idea that needs some
> tweaking IMO.
> 

I read through their FAQ and it sounds like a business venture that
could be very lucrative for them.  If the my rates go down over the
course of that 25-year contract (say CPS invests heavily and effectively
in alternative energy) there is [apparently] no provision for reducing
my rate with Citizenre (they are presuming rates will never go down over
the next 25 years without explicitly saying so).  They have to
considering the question of 'what if my local rates go down?' as
something frequently asked but it does not show up on their FAQ?  

This sounds like a great user model in terms of participating in solar
energy but the contract is drawn up by those who actually care for the
$$ they can make -> not bad if I can charge the same as your power
company did over the past year for the next 25 years while never having
to actually generate power or maintain a complicated power grid, etc.
AND you pay for any broken panels.  Also, I don't like the thought of
signing up for something which has zero actual customers at this point
(i.e. people have signed up but noone can actually have the system until
early 2008?). 
-Kevin 

> Enjoy!
> Tom King
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