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Rooftop Solar: The Next iPod?
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The drop in the price of a residential-sized solar system suggests that it is possible that distributed solar will be as disruptive of the electrical transmission grid as the iPod was to the music industry.
Inside Energy (https://insideenergy.org/tag/solar/page/6/)
The drop in the price of a residential-sized solar system suggests that it is possible that distributed solar will be as disruptive of the electrical transmission grid as the iPod was to the music industry.
As rooftop solar becomes more affordable, tensions have grown between electric utility companies and residents. Why? A widespread policy called net metering, which requires utilities to purchase back power generated by their customers’ solar panels, is nibbling at utility company’s bottom lines.
The cost of solar is falling rapidly – down 60 percent in just the last three years. Good for the environment and good for your pocketbook–but many traditional utilities are worried about what this trend could do to their business model.
This database chronicles 15 years of power outages in the U.S. The numbers show a startling increase in the number of outages, blamed on an outdated grid, aging infrastructure, and an increase in extreme weather events.