Get 40% off solar, but only if you can type fast!

I had my sheet of paper all filled out and ready to go. I was logged into the site.

Check the clock...7:28am. Click refresh. Nothing

7:29, click refresh. Nothing.

7:30, click refresh. Short delay, this must be it! C'mon internet connection, hurry up!

I'm in, now start typing...

Welcome to the world of applying for a solar panel rebate from Florida Power & Light. The website opens at 7:30am, and it's first come first serve. You have to have your personal and contractor information, the size of your solar panel system, number of inverters, expected cost, and expected KWH production from your system.

I was smart. I pre-typed the information into a document, so all I had to do was copy-paste into the form, and I would surely get in right away.

The prize? $2 per watt rebate from FP&L after a completed solar panel installation. That's a great deal! At less than $5 per watt for most systems, that's at least 40% off the full price. The catch is that you have to compete with everyone else online at the same time to get the rebate, and there are no guarantees.

If it wasn't for the huge discount, I probably wouldn't have even tried. Why not a lottery system, so we don't have to all hover over our computers typing away as fast as we can? Maybe a system that picks a few from each county, to spread it out evenly across contractors and demand needs? I wonder what other states do in this situation. But I digress...

Done! I felt good, no way I didn't get in. I submitted the form at 7:33am...

Not Accepting Applications

Sorry! Due to strong customer interest, all of the rebate funds for this program have been reserved at this time. Please watch www.FPL.com/solarrebates for information about possible future rounds of rebate opportunities.

Please note that any system components installed prior to FPL's issuance of a rebate reservation will not qualify for a rebate.

No!!  3 minutes! That's all it took to run out of money? How much was in there to begin with? How many people submitted? Now I'm thinking back on what I did wrong. Was it the short delay setting up a dual page view between the website and my document? Maybe that ended up costing me too much time. Ughh!

Now what? Good thing I had a backup plan. I won't be installing the 8.8 kW (37 module) system I planned, but a smaller 6.6 kW instead. I still get a 30% rebate from the federal government, but it's still frustrating to not get the larger rebate.

I keep telling myself that someone who did get the rebate was only going to install solar if they got the rebate, so in the big scheme of things, maybe this worked out better for the planet. I am still going forward with my installation, and someone else can proceed with their project as well.  Two projects are moving forward, instead of only one. At least that makes me feel better...

Can global warming bring world peace?

The predictions about climate change are depressing. Every time I go to a speech about the topic, I leave feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. So I want to suggest we look at this issue differently. If we can get all countries to focus on global warming (since it will impact us all), this might unite these countries around a common goal. With a focus on one major issue, I would guess that a lot of petty issues that countries argue over today may get downplayed, or simply go away.

Think about the Armageddon-type movies, where the aliens come to destroy the planet, and all people of the world unite to save the planet. This wouldn't be quite as exciting as those movies, but the purpose is the same. Consider sports teams. If you have players focused on their own accomplishments, not winning as a team (the common goal), then distractions and fighting within the team increase (and they never reach the goal).

OK, I know the term "world peace" is not really possible, but I think a world where countries are not engaged in active fighting and war (within their own country or with another country) is possible. However, without a major change in focus, we will never get there. In fact, at our current pace in destroying the planet, we are headed for even more global conflict, which will take us further away from "world peace".

Wars typically start over water, changing patterns of rainfall, food production and land use. These are the major consequences cited in most research on global warming.

The United Kingdom (UK) government commissioned a report called the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, which suggests global warming could shrink the world's economy by 20%. This report has been widely circulated, and has been brought up in the UN Security Council.

"With scientists predicting that land and water resources will gradually become more scarce in the coming years, and that global warming may irreversibly alter the face of the planet, the United Nations Security Council today held its first-ever debate on the impact of climate change on security." [Read article here].

So here is where we are at today: Global warming will overall negatively impact water, food production, land use, and change the patterns of rainfall. These changes historically lead to war and conflict, and will negatively impact the economy around the globe. No country is exempt.

If we can change the focus, the opposite can occur. We reduce global warming, which minimizes the impact on food and water. We rally around a common goal, and focus our resources on growing all economies through clean energy and more sustainable practices. Global warming and climate change might be the ONLY issue that has the potential to rally all countries around the world.

We don't have a choice. If we wait for the disasters to occur, it will be too late. Aligning countries to this message is not impossible. We are actually getting closer (aside from the major powers of the world). It is up to us who live in these major powers (China, US, EU) to force our leaders to make this change, and change immediately.

We can actually "kill two birds with one stone" by focusing on reducing global warming, in order to save ourselves from climate change AND achieve world peace!

Raise the price of carbon, then send everyone a check in the mail?

I recently attended a presentation from the Citizens Climate Lobby group. They are a group that helps citizens organize around climate change through politics. Marc Reynolds, Executive Director of Citizens Climate Lobby, gave a great speech about how citizens can get involved and make a difference.

He talked about the CCL's Carbon Fee and Dividend Proposal, which is actually very simple. If we increase (tax) carbon, that will make it easier for people to choose renewable or clean energy, or conserve what they use. He used smoking as a successful example of how increasing the tax on cigarettes has led to a reduction in smokers. Reducing carbon is no different. If we want to reduce the impact of climate change, we need to reduce our carbon usage. Therefore, we need to figure out a way to accurately price carbon, based upon its impact on the environment. Today, no one has to pay for the impact of carbon, so it gets treated equally in the open market as other sources of energy that are less damaging to the environment. All this would make it a fair playing field.

Here is an overview video:


But won't this increase the cost of electricity and gasoline for everyone? Yes it will. That is why they are proposing to take the taxed income, and send it back to the people to offset their increased utility and gas costs. Then over time, that amount would be less and less, as we replace carbon energy with better sources of energy.

The other good approach is that the tax will increase steadily over time, so that there is a clear path in the future that shows what the price will be, and it eases people into the additional cost. Businesses can invest in different energy with some confidence, and the price impact to all of us is more gradual. After 10 years, they feel it would be priced more appropriately.

The more I think about this, the more I like the idea. It actually appeals to both Republicans and Democrats, whereas other climate bills and legislation have been proposed by one side or the other. If I hear any updates, I'll post them here.