However, shared or community solar projects allow such customers to have access to solar energy and get involved in the current trend toward increased use of solar power. Massachusetts, for example, passed a law in 2008 that allowed for community projects for renewable energy generation. California, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C. are among the other areas where community solar projects are legal. Several other states have similar programs in the works.

The idea of the bill was to make sure that the burden for paying green initiatives was put on everyone and not just people or companies who did not use renewable energy. The choice now is on Germans to see if they will choose to use solar power knowing that they will not get the break on the surcharge they once got. This could set Germany back in the renewable energy race.

The plant is expected to be done in 2016 and will be built on 900 acres of grazing plains that will have ready access to sunlight in almost any condition. The goal of the plant is to provide energy to homes in the area and provide needed backup to the fossil fuel energy that is already being produced in the state.

The site that was chosen because it is already so close to existing transmission lines and power plants, and this makes it easy for it to support the existing power structure.

The activists are calling for flat rooftop buildings to be required by state law to have solar panels. The activists also believe that Cuomo’s energy plans are simply not aggressive enough to provide any sort of real change in the energy markets or in the environment in the state. Rather than doing little things, the activists think bigger steps need to be taken.

While the Governor is trying, he must also strike a balance with those who feel he should not try to change everything all at once. This balancing act will always mark changes in energy efficiency.

With this plan, Texas consumers can choose solar power for their home and not have to worry about the huge financial commitment and routine maintenance of solar panels. This program also gives back. Green Mountain Energy will contribute $4 per month towards developing new solar projects in the state for each customer who chooses the SolarSPARC plan. Also, customers will receive bill credit for the projects they help fund. These credits start at $11 per solar project. And, could reach $121 per year after five years. Customers will also have the option to gift their credits to The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club. The Sun Club is an initiative that has helped build more than 575kW of solar power for non-profit organizations.

Shay Ohrel, production innovation manager at Green Mountain Energy, said “The SolarSPARC product enables customers to help us “change the way power is made” by probing demand for solar and leveraging our experience in renewable energy to bring more clean electricity options to Texas.” Green Mountain Energy is building their first solar project to provide electricity for the program. The 10 kW solar field is near Big Spring, Texas. They plan to expand every six months depending on customer demand. “The more customers that sign up for the product, the more solar we’ll be able to build,” says Ohrel. This will give Texas the boost it needs to more utilize its solar potential. 

County land in North Carolina has been leased to help develop a solar farm. The project will cover a vast fifty two acres of land near the Cashie River in Bertie County, North Carolina. The land will be leased and once the project is approved, solar panels will be hauled to the area and installed as quickly as possible.

The original lease plans to loan out the land for fifteen years. While many people were unaware North Carolina was taking such great strides in the realms of providing green, renewable energy, in truth, North Carolina is the second state in the nation (only behind California) when it comes to making progress in environmentally friendly ways. The Bertie County area will greatly benefit from this project. Many community members hope that the lease will be extended for an additional fifteen years.

For more information visit http://www.roanoke-chowannewsherald.com/2013/09/30/bertie-land-leased-to-produce-solar-energy/

Yet a small but vocal group of consumers has consistently demanded the right to opt out.  The Texas PUC as granted these consumers there request.  Giving them opt-out privileges.  This opt out is not free, however.

The price for opting out in Texas could run several hundred dollars in some places.  In the Dallas area, the company responsible for electric delivery could charge consumers as much as $400 to have an old style meter.  Given the advantages of having smart meters and the cost of forgoing them, it is expected that very few people in the state will turn them down.

Perhaps the biggest problem with giving individuals access to their own personal solar panels is the installation procedure. In cooperation with Chinese energy company Hanenergy, the panels offered at Ikea will have a thorough, do-it-yourself nine-step installation process that can be found on the company’s website. Ikea has received critical acclaim for implementing solar panels into its stock, and has high hopes for the project’s future.

The demand for new wind farm installations has deceased significantly in the past year while the demand for solar panels for personal homes has increased. Many energy companies and their consultants continue to project that solar energy will continue to grow and gain more popularity with the general public.

The number of contracted windmills from 2012 dropped five percent in 2013, and that percent is only expected to grow as solar power becomes more accessible to the average person. Solar power is quickly becoming the clean energy source of the future.

One of the main reasons people find it difficult to switch from other traditional power sources to solar power is because they fear how much the transition will cost.Solar panels themselves can be expensive, and that is not even mentioning the cost of installation or the removal of excess sources of energy.

Currently, the cost per watt of electricity within a home after calculations for installation of the system can be more than ten dollars.  Then again, while solar panels are mainly made out of purified sand, it is not easy developing, maintaining, and installing a substance that can accurately and safely turn photons into electrical energy. Until future research is complete and more efforts are made in spreading solar powered energy, the cost of installing solar power within individual homes will be a bit on the pricey side.