10-09-2012, 05:47 AM
Well, you still aren't getting it. The subsidies come in the form of rebates, tax breaks, and "bargains", from the state and the county. The only money the state and county have to hand out like this is taxes and use fees. HELCO also adds on an alternative energy fee. This is odd since in the NW, there are alternative energy rate credits given for all customers, and a couple are federal that don't show up on the HELCO bill.
Geothermal gets no tax breaks, no rebates, no. It is a private investment into the plant after getting a contract from HECO. It *pays* royalties to the state, county and OHA. The ACC only goes to HEI. If the federal and state governments stopped subsidizing solar PV, its equivalent rate pricing would go up to 60 cents/kw-hr. Germany has spent $130 Billion of their tax dollars to have 3% solar. They acknowledge the economics are not working and have stopped subsidizing solar PV. Subsequently, several solar PV manufacturers are starting to go out of business.
What you initially were referring to with ACC is added rate pricing, not a subsidy. It is important to understand the differences between the two and how they are not related.
Geothermal gets no tax breaks, no rebates, no. It is a private investment into the plant after getting a contract from HECO. It *pays* royalties to the state, county and OHA. The ACC only goes to HEI. If the federal and state governments stopped subsidizing solar PV, its equivalent rate pricing would go up to 60 cents/kw-hr. Germany has spent $130 Billion of their tax dollars to have 3% solar. They acknowledge the economics are not working and have stopped subsidizing solar PV. Subsequently, several solar PV manufacturers are starting to go out of business.
What you initially were referring to with ACC is added rate pricing, not a subsidy. It is important to understand the differences between the two and how they are not related.
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*