There is nothing in the clip about “Liberal Democrats” that’s just a tag that the person who posted attached to it, no doubt to give it a hook for people who wouldn’t ordinarily look at it. Or to drum up investor interest. Obviously it worked, since they secured $45 million in funding the year this was posted. But the notion that liberals or democrats are hostile to this or any other solar technology is, of course, absolute balderdash.
The Bush II Administration increased funding for solar power 78% to $148 million in 2007, at a time when “Liberal Democrats” controlled Congress. The Obama Administration has put up an additional $117 million for solar in the stimulus bill.
As a matter of fact, we do have huge incentives for homebuilders to install solar, and there are also huge incentives to solarize and weatherize existing dwellings.
The stimulus bill includes $5 billion for low income weatherization programs; $6 billion to modernize fedral buildings, with a particular emphasis on energy efficiency; $11 billion for “smart grid” investments; $3.4 billion for carbon capture and sequestration demonstration projects; $2 billion for research into batteries for electric cars; $500 million to help workers train for “green jobs”; $350 million for geothermal projects; a 3-year extension of the tax credit for biomass, geothermal, landfill gas and hydropower projects with the option of converting 30% of these credits into direct cash. In addition, the stimulus bill is loaded tax credits and loan guarantees for wind and solar industries.
There’s no good ol’boy system on getting in on this money. Look up your utility company for weatherization and solarization programs. Also look in the Pennysaver; you will find contractors willing to sell you subsidized double-pane windows, by the half dozen.
The Republicans are the party of Big Oil; they are the ones who gave us $4 a gallon gasoline. The Democrats are the party of renewable energy.