Why are solar panels so much cheaper in California

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One website I visited is advertising panels at $469 nationwide, and the same panel for $169 to California. I assume this is some kind of buy down or rebate from the state of California, or a California utility? Does the panel have to be installed/inspected to get the rebate? (Or does it just need to be shipped to California address?)
Wow, I have always considered myself an honest person... I even pay all my taxes, but this deal sure makes me want to *use* the system to my advantage if possible. I wonder why?

I am not aware of any program like this where I live.
Berry

-- Berry Picker (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), August 26, 1999

Answers

What was the wattage?

-- a (a@a.a), August 27, 1999.

120

-- Berry Picker (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), August 27, 1999.

Berry, where did you find a 120W for 469? That's extremely cheap.

-- a (a@a.a), August 27, 1999.

"a"
Send me a real email address and I will tell you where I found them.

-- Berry Picker (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), August 27, 1999.

Berry Picker,

Are you some kindda Gov. informant? You takeing down names? Why would you give a s*it what someone elses real e-addy is?

If you have good info, spill it. If YOU got a problem

-- CT (ct@no.yr), August 27, 1999.



berry picker, i would appreciate if you would email me the info on those solar panels. thanks.

-- jocelyne slough (jonslough@tln.net), August 27, 1999.

Berry Picker,

I would also like this information. My email is my email is my email.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

-- Stan Faryna (info@giglobal.com), August 27, 1999.


CT,

I don't need or want anyone's name. (Don't even need you "real" email address. An email facade at yahoo or hotmail will do fine. The kinds folks at greenspun and Ed Yourdon have asked us all *numerous* times to use a real (ie; deliverable) email address when using this forum. Using a non-existent address puts some kind of extra load on the server (which I don't understand). It's just my way of encouraging shy folks to be helpful and to get a fake, but deliverable email address at yahoo, hotmail, excite, (whatever) so that we don't cause problems for somebody else.

Berry

-- Berry Picker (BerryPicking@yahoo.com), August 27, 1999.


i'm real and would like the address also, please.

-- sarah (qubr@aol.com), August 28, 1999.

Berry, what's this all about? I'm normally a LITTLE bit paranoid, but really..

I pay almost exactly $5.00 per watt for Photovoltaics; I have a hard time believing you can buy them retail for less than $4.00 per watt retail. Much less $1.40 per watt in California.

If it's really true, post the source. Your playing games getting people to give you even a yahoo or hotmail address is too weird. Do you really believe that, having given you this info, they'll stop posting here with fake personas?

Al

-- Al K. Lloyd (al@ready.now), August 28, 1999.



Berry,

I don't have any real information for you but I would guess that it is a government sponsored program to bring the price down. I remember hearing something but I can't give any details.

I'd love info on where you found the panel for $169 too. I believe if you're a resident using solar you may even get a tax break : )

Mike

================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), August 28, 1999.


I call BULLSHIT on BerryPicker.

-- BS detector (@ .), August 28, 1999.

PV's are no cheaper in CA than elsewhere. We have had advertisers putting some pretty good prices in their ads though so I assume there is no PV panel shortage. At a recent energy fair I saw prices as low as $4.25 per watt on 100w Siemens panels. You can download the current issue of our magazine at http://www.homepower.com

California does have a rebate program based on how many panels you buy but it is nowhere near this much....it must also be installed as part of a whole system by a state licensed contractor who will charge a pretty penny for their services offsetting the savings for the most part (compared to folks like me who like to do it themselves)

Don Kulha, Home Power Magazine

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), August 28, 1999.


Berry Picker: Are you a Klinton wanna-be? Dissembling. What a lame excuse about e-mail addresses so you won't post your so-called information.

BTW -- you're an honest person even paying "your" taxes? They're not "your" taxes; they're the governments'. Are you able to extract 20% to 70% of someone's life energy and use that to maintain your power to keep on extracting it?

And you don't even owe the biggest taxes of all (in the U.S.)

see
http://www.ottoskinner.com

-- A (A@AisA.com), August 28, 1999.


Don Kulha: Thanks for YOUR post.

-- A (A@AisA.com), August 28, 1999.


Don,

Thanks for the info...the rebate program rings a bell : )

Mike

====================================================================

-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), August 29, 1999.


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