- Myth #3: Solar energy simply isn’t powerful enough
- Myth #6: Solar couldn’t survive without government subsidies
In short, many people believe that renewable energy in California is a waste of time. It doesn’t work and it’s expensive.
We had a good time debunking these solar myths, and we encourage you to read the above articles to learn more.
But as further evidence of solar energy’s awesome power, we present the following:
California’s solar energy network has hit a new milestone by generating more than 4,500 MW of clean electricity.
That is a huge amount of clean power. About 575 MW of this peak came from solar thermal technology. And the remainder came from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels (which is what you see on rooftops throughout San Diego County).
Along with other renewable technologies throughout the state (i.e. hydro, winds, biomass, geothermal), solar helped California meet 24% of total daytime demand for electricity. This impressive feat highlights the tremendous potential that solar has for transforming America into a truly green economy.
Why Renewable Energy in California Matters
As impressive as the above numbers are, they only represent a tiny fraction of California’s total renewable energy capacity. The reporting is shortsighted because it doesn’t include residential or commercial rooftop solar installations. As of May 14, 2014, there are at least 2,000 MW of rooftop solar throughout the state, none of which factored in to this most recent report.
In just the San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose area, there’s 216 MW of residential solar capacity – to say nothing of commercial solar.
But why does all this matter? Sure, these are impressive numbers, but why should you care?
4,500 MW of solar electricity means that our local utility companies didn’t have to burn 4,500 MW of natural gas (the primary fossil fuel used throughout California).
That’s a lot of CO2 that isn’t being released into the atmosphere.
As a result,
- Our environment is greener
- Our bodies are healthier
- Our bank accounts are large
- Our economy is stronger
And these benefits only grow as more and more people install solar panels on their own rooftops.
The process is simple, affordable, and offers decades of both financial and environmental benefits.
To learn how you can join this solar revolution and help California become a renewable energy powerhouse, contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our expert solar team will assess your property’s solar potential. And you can decide whether going solar makes sense for you and your long-term goals.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve explored a range of financial, environmental, and security reasons to go solar in San Diego. 9 reasons to be exact.
But in many ways, #10 is our favorite. Going solar allows you to “stick it to the Man.”
But who is the Man?
We’ll give you a definition in just a moment. But first, a quick question.
What is the most profitable business in human history?
The answer is ExxonMobil, which earned a record $49.5 billion in 2008 (adjusted to 2012 USD). Do you know who holds the #2, #3, #4, and #5 slots for largest annual corporate earnings?
The answer again is ExxonMobil. And if you extend the list to include the top 30 most profitable companies of all time, it includes Shell, BP, Chevron, and Russian oil company, Gazprom.
These companies are “the Man” because they:
- Sell a product that is toxic to the environment, harmful to our bodies, and terrible for the planet – both in its extraction and consumption.
- Are heavily subsidized and don’t pay taxes
- Continue to externalize costs like clean up, waste management, and air pollution
They do these things and reap record profits year after year – while most economies around the world continue to suffer – environmentally and financially. And don’t get us started on monopolistic utility companies that should be leading the renewable energy charge but continue to resist switching away from fossil fuel.
If this doesn’t make you mad, we don’t know what will.
How Does Installing Solar Panels Stick It to the “Man?”
When you install solar panels on your residential or commercial property, you’re able to generate your own clean power – for free:
- Solar energy is affordable
- Solar energy saves you mone
- Solar energy protects the environment
- Solar energy is powerful enough to fuel the world
Big Oil (i.e. Exxon Mobil) and small oil (i.e. SDG&E) will continue to fight against solar energy. And our attitude is, let them. Because believe it or not, we don’t need them as much as they need us.
Go Solar in San Diego Today and Tell Big Oil, “No Thanks”
Solar power makes homes, businesses, and entire communities truly energy independent. There’s really no reason to continue renting electricity when you can just create your own – for free.
If you’re ready to take the plunge, contact us today for a free solar quote. Our expert installation team will analyze your property and assess its solar potential. Within a matter of weeks, you could begin generating your own clean electricity and saving money in the process:
- No more Big Oil
- No more utility bills
- No more pollution
And this concludes our mini-series on the top 10 reasons to go solar in San Diego (for now).
And if you’re ready to request your free solar quote today.
