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CA Considers Taxing Solar Power Generation

Posted by timothy on from the corrupts-absolutely dept.

California is considering a proposal by the state Public Utilities Commission to charge an 'exit tax,' proportional to the amount of power you generate, on electricity generated by means such as solar panels for your own use. I would expect a state like California to try and encourage the adoption of alternative power sources, but this seems a really odd way of doing it. Two groups have started lobbying against this tax. If passed, it sets a precedent that many fear will lead to similar taxes outside CA.

13 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. This is ridiculous by fobside · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Since when does any government have the right to place taxes on unrefined, natural resources like the sun? Pretty soon, they'll be trying to charge for the spinning of a pinwheel or the clanging of wind chimes in a front lawn. If an individual were to sell unused power to other people, I could see how a tax might be warranted.

    1. Re:This is ridiculous by anubi · · Score: 4, Funny
      Even nomadic folks living out in the desert had to carry little water meters, and pour all the water they use through it.

      If they pee, do they get credit?

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]

    2. Re:This is ridiculous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Taxing water and land are different in that they are *limited*. My owning land precludes anyone else from owning that land, but my using sunlight doesn't take away from anyone else potential use. The sunlight was falling on my property so no one else could even get a chance to use it without my permission, and unlike water the sunlight can't "flow" onto someone else's land for their use.

      Air, for all purposes currently, is effectively unlimited. Would we even consider the idea of taxing breathing?

  2. not to complain but by hswerdfe · · Score: 5, Funny

    CA = Canada

    its our top level domain. damit

    I don't care if California has a bigger economy or not.

    we are not giving it up

    --
    --meh--
  3. The Sunshine State! by dnahelix · · Score: 4, Funny

    I guess that slogan actually means that California owns the fawking SUN!!!!

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  4. just when you think the bar is highest... by chriso11 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Amazing! Just when you think the most ludicrious proposal comes along, they top it with ease...

    While they're at it, they should count the number of compact florescents I installed and tax me on the amount of electricity I'm not using...

    --
    No, I don't trust in god. He'll have to pay up front, like everybody else.
    1. Re:just when you think the bar is highest... by SchnauzerGuy · · Score: 5, Insightful
      That is exactly what they are doing. There is no important difference between
      • Your power load is decreased because you are generating some of your own electricity.
      • Your power load is decreased because you are conserving electricity.
      Either way, you aren't contributing enough to paying off those utility bonds.
  5. Not just solar power... by SchnauzerGuy · · Score: 5, Informative
    This proposed tariff doesn't just apply to solar power, but any kind of "off-grid" power generation:
    "Customer Generation" as used in this order, incorporates the definition in the Joint Parties' Settlement Agreement. It refers to cogeneration, renewable technologies, or any other type of generation that (a) is dedicated wholly or in part to serve a specific customer's load; and (b) relies on non-utility or dedicated utility distribution wires rather than the utility grid
    That means wind power, fuel cells, diesel generators, etc. are also covered. And since the settlement covers anything that reduced the customer's load, presumably even geo-thermal heating/cooling systems would be taxed.
  6. Yes, scary, but read the first line. by tunah · · Score: 4, Informative
    California is considering a proposal by the state Public Utilities Commission

    Proposed by the "Utilities": the power people. "Considering" could just mean they are deciding whether to laugh milk or coke out their nose. Then again, it might not...

    --
    Free Java games for your phone: Tontie, Sokoban
  7. Re:Desperation move by walt-sjc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Why wait? Go to a "business friently" state and start your own consulting company.
    I moved to a smaller town where the taxes are low, housing / land is cheap, and work can be had for anyone with a little ambition.

    California has lost it completely. With the scools ranked 49th in the country, taxes approaching the highest, Loopy laws and fruitcake bezerkely behavior all over the place, housing prices among the top in the country, no jobs, environmentalist protecting fucking common garden worms, some of the most corrupt government officials (Davis and crew) on the planet, why the HELL would you stay?

  8. Re:Well solar panels... by Smidge204 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But the government already collects tax when you purchase the panels. Twice. (One sales tax from you, again as income tax for the company). They also collect tax if you hire a contractor to install them.

    What they're proposing here is basically to put an electric meter on your panels and charge you for the sunlight you collect.

    Sounds to me like the power companies are lobbying this to try and make up for lost revenue, just in case too many people decide solar would be a good investment. (Which is probably would be)

    I didn't see anything about solar thermal heating, though. Hmm...
    =Smidge=

  9. Read the Full Law by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative
    Did anyone read this law before posting? The submitted story leaves a lot of important facts out. I only read one seconds (background), but it quickly became clear that this isn't targeted at home solar panels, but things like gas powered generators set up next to factories.

    Every time the word taxes appears in the story, everyone goes crazy flaming the government.

  10. That is not true. by Ashurbanipal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    First of all, whoever told you that "it takes more energy to manufacture one than they ever generate in their useful life" was incorrect.

    Perhaps you should try to figure out if it is because that person needs education, or because (s)he has a vested interest in deceiving you.

    Second, the point of solar panels is not always lifetime efficiency anyway, it is often control of power generation by the person(s) needing the power - intelligent people act to secure the resources they need to survive, and the power grid (in California, at least) is not reliable and cannot be secured by consumers.

    There is a wealth of data available online from the IPP and Sandia that will refute your claim. Or you could directly contact a vendor such as Siemens (German) or AstroPower (Delaware, USA).

    The proposed tax is simply the latest move in the long-running war between the centralised dirty energy producers (championed by GWB and Cheney, among others) and the promoters of distributed clean renewable energy production (a grassroots movement championed principally by the Home Power crew).

    This war is primarily being fought in and around California; mostly because of the high availability of sunshine and engineering talent in that area. The recent fake energy crisis that the Enron crowd purposely created was the most effective offensive in the same war so far.

    Hopefully, the decentralized nature of grassroots opposition will prevent the current administration's attempt to crush distributed renewable energy producers. The "Solar Guerilla" movement was started for just this reason.