1. Roger Eubanks | 07.03.08

Knowing just how inefficient solar power is at our current level of technology, why would I want my tax dollars funding this? Those who buy into the whole Global Warming Myth are still miles away from proving it as fact. I have an idea, why not develop the technology to a point that it is cost-effective before steaming ahead spending someone elses money.

2. Mike Voice | 07.03.08

Roger aks: “…why would I want my tax dollars funding this?”

My question: How is letting any of the 130 applicants -lease- BLM land to use for a solar energy facility qualify those projects as being funded by tax dollars?

3. Archangel | 07.03.08

I have an idea…. how about we pour oil over the waterways, and then light oil on fire and burn it into the air… will that be better for the enviroment? “Solar Energy”…..is enough energy to grow plants, all of life, and heat the universe, but not good enough for the U.S. government?

4. John | 07.03.08

Hi this is John from http://www.GlobalSolarCenter.com.

I am very happy to hear that the BLM has reneged on their refusal to process any additional applications. Solar power is proven and cost competitive when you factor in the rising costs of conventional electricity as well as the long life span of panels. Tax money pays for the upfront costs, and everyone benefits from the 30-50 year lifespan of panels.

5. Damon | 07.03.08

“Roger Eubanks | 07.03.08

Knowing just how inefficient solar power is at our current level of technology, why would I want my tax dollars funding this? Those who buy into the whole Global Warming Myth are still miles away from proving it as fact. I have an idea, why not develop the technology to a point that it is cost-effective before steaming ahead spending someone elses money.”

Roger,
There are no tax dollars at work here. It’s no different than anyone else leasing federal land. For instance natural gas and oil companies.

Global Warming is not a myth. It’s a fact. Pump more CO2 into the atmosphere and the world will get warmer. There is no doubt that humans are pumping CO2 into the atmosphere, there is no doubt about the CO2 levels, there is no doubt about temperature increases (even if there is a discrepancy between satellite measurements and ground measurements).

If we went along with your efficiency argument, then nothing would have ever been done to increase efficiency of power plants. Recall that initially the industry was helped by the government.

6. DaveJ | 07.03.08

Roger E.-

You don’t think the oil industry is subsidized? WAKE UP. A substantial portion of our military budget is allocated to maintain the flow of Middle Eastern oil, not to mention DIRECT subsidies to oil and gas companies. And then the use of oil is subsidized again on the back end through the Federal Hwy Administration.

Dave

7. Li Tai Fang | 07.03.08

Does it matter of solar energy SOUNDS less efficient?
The energy from the sun is entirely, completely, 100% FREE!
I know the efficiency of not harvesting solar energy that has been hitting Earth everyday for the past 4 billion years: 0%.

8. Olivia | 07.04.08

Odd that the BLM changed its tune about solar power in less than a week, while refusing to heed the thousands of citizens protesting its long-standing policy of removing more and more free-roaming horses from the land.

That policy is designed to appease the ever-encroaching cattle ranchers, who, though among the wealthiest people in the country, pay a pittance to lease the public’s property. The policy also bows down to the hunting lobby, whose members pay handsome fees to kill big game in the West. And of course it plays into the hands of the oil-and-gas kingpins. Why, it even kowtows to certain environmental groups who see the majestic mustangs as a nuisance rather than as members of a native species who millions of Americans want to see preserved in all their unencumbered beauty and wildness.

Currently the BLM, which has rounded up and is feeding more horses and burros (some 33,000) than are currently running free in the West, is threatening to gather still more horses and is considering “euthanizing” them (a euphemism for selling to slaughterhouses in Canada) — apparently before a new Administration takes office and quashes that plan. Small wonder that a Slate.com article posted on February 16, 2005, asks in its subhead: “Can America’s Wild Horses Survive Another Four Years of Bush?” (The author, Deanne Stillman, just last month published a book titled “Mustang: The Sage of the Wild Horse in the American West.”)

So, now, back to the subject of solar panels. It wouldn’t surprise me if this inept, erroneously influenced government agency (which is forcing us taxpayers to fork over millions of dollars to feed imprisoned horses who deserve to run free and live peacefully in their established family units until their natural deaths) is using the solar panel industry as an excuse to drive still more horses off their land, to the point of extinction.

Watch “Cloud” on PBS’s Nature show July 6th if you want to meet the gorgeous individual who comprise the Pryor Mountain wild horse herd living along the Montana-Wyoming border.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for the development of the solar industry, and even on uninhabitable federal land, but, BLM, don’t exploit this valuable energy source as one more justification for killing off beautiful, harmless wild horses, whose freedom under the current tyrannical regime is as imperiled as our own.

9. richestorags | 07.04.08

It drives me nuts when people say Solar is not efficient. Is squeezing oil out of sand efficient? Burning coal to heat water to spin a turbine efficient? You only have to make a solar panel ONCE and its gravy from there.

Prop up a solar panel, hook it to your grid and you have free energy. It should be mandatory on every new commercial rooftop.

I also like the comment, it’s good enough for the universe but not the US government. Keep driving your SUVs because you think its your right and stay slaves to the oil producers.

It’s the 70s and early eighties all over again. When will be learn?

10. Lindsay Holt | 07.04.08

Hey you … Mr. Roger Eubanks

Check your facts … it is now becoming widely understood on Wall Street that solar and especially wind are reaching a level of parity with traditional power production … and next, it will be WAVE power my friend … even more so, as wave is on the coast, and nearer the denser populations of this planet … what more, wave produced energy can go DIRECTLY into the power grid and be used right away … so grow up and check your facts and stop being part of the problem to always complain about “myths” which are not myths at all, please if you can’t be positive then just shut your mouth.

Thank You Roger Republican Veto Important Legislation Man

Sincerely your’s
Lindsay Holt
Santa Fe, NM USA

11. Robert Williams | 07.05.08

Damon:
It is quite clear you have done no research into the ‘global warming’ hoax. You seem not to have read about the 30,000 credible scientists signing a petition deeming ‘global warming’ is a hoax. CO2 levels take place after a major temp. occurance not before. People you need to read and think for yourselves.
The solar groups say their panels will last for 30 to 50 years. Ok fine. How long before technological advances render these panels obselete and require replacement to be competitive? 3years? 5 years? Cost?

12. Mike | 07.06.08

I don’t care if Global Warming is a myth or not. I don’t care if current technology will be obsolete in 3 years or 5 years. Just because we don’t know and can’t predict the future doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take action for a better future. If only Ford motor company could predict that 50MPG cars would be good before Toyota decided to bring those cars to the US, then maybe the American Economy wouldn’t be as much in the crapper.

Here’s a little wake up call. We aren’t sufferring from some food shortage or plague, and I don’t know about you, but I’m doing my fair share to increase the population (2nd child on the way). We have all this free energy from the Sun (light/heat), and all this free energy from the Moon (waves/tides), and all this other free energy from the Sun (hydro electric sources are all fueled by the Sun).

Maybe some day we’ll figure out how to make controlled Fission reactions to power our ever increasing demands for energy. Until then, the fission reaction in the sky is our primary source of renewable power, and as we burn through the chemical energy stored in our planet millions of years ago (produced by the very same sun millions of years ago), we should look to find our next source of energy.

Finding the next source of energy involves some amount of developing that technology, experimenting with that technology, and refining that technology. We will never get the returns on the technology in the future if we don’t invest them in the present. If we leave this to other nations of the world to develop, then we lose a competitive advantage. During the last two presidencies, America has faced some serious brain drain. We have become lazy and fat, and are obsessed with gay marriage and religion.

Well, I for one say that we need to get off our fat, lazy bums, and lead by example. We need to use our brains in constructive ways and be innovative and not conservative. The only way to find out what works and what doesn’t is to try.

13. fred crouch | 07.06.08

Any time the topic of global warming comes up we must not forget it’s root source, overpopulation. Too many people requiring too much from Mother Earth.
Until we stop so many people from being born we will have warming of this planet. This will require the combined efforts of all governments and all religions. Am I wrong?

1. BLM recants solar moratorium | Energybloggers | 07.04.08

2. Citing environmental concerns, US freezes new solar plant construction | csmonitor.com | 10.02.08