Terrific article in yesterday’s Asbury Park Press on the sorry state of the solar industry in NJ. I highly recommend reading it before they pull it down. Here’s a preview:
Now it’s up to electricity ratepayers in the state to chip in to restore the market for the solar renewable energy certificates (SREC).
A trade group, the Retail Energy Supply Association, has estimated that the help could bring increased costs to ratepayers of more than $300 million annually for the next two years, resulting in a 5 percent increase to average $80 monthly bills, with future increases also likely.
Proponents say it’s a worthwhile tradeoff, noting solar energy has the promise of meeting a reasonable balance of environmental, reliability and economic objectives.
Bills in the Legislature would authorize increased subsidies, and Gov. Chris Christie said, “If they pass, I’ll sign them. It’s going to continue to help the solar industry, which is a big job creator in our state, and also helps us with clean renewable energy (and) management of our entire long-term energy needs.”
The market is screaming at us to put an end to this foolishness. $300 million would bring a lot of happiness to a lot of people if they were permitted to spend it the way they want to, but Christie and company are determined to ram solar down our throats no matter how much sacrifice on our part it takes.
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