Part VIII
If you have been following this eight part series, by now you are probably thinking that this article could go on and on and on – which it definitely could do. I haven’t yet spoken about so many other issues, complexities and risks of the installation and operation of these DG systems. For example, the risks of future competition – that is, once you put $3 Million into a system intended to be there for decades, what happens if a better technology comes along? Can you lose the system to the owner (contractually)? Or, can the new technology make your system, in effect, economically unviable?
And what about regulatory risks – could the laws, rules and regulations change in a way that might render the system unable to operate profitably – or to operate at all? Or, perhaps only to operate the system at 50% of its designed capability, which would also render the investment economically unviable.
And, there are political risks – that is, a change in political leadership that could result in a cutoff of the incentives necessary to be profitable, or in a desire to go in another direction – say to nuclear or hydrogen fuel cell technology, thereby diverting interest, attention and dollars away from self-generation and the IPP (Independent Power Producer) model.
To conclude, suffice it to say that this business must be one of the most complex out there, and fraught with frustrations, risks and uncertainty. One would almost have to be crazy to go into this business – or just naïve.
But, all of us in this community – the Climate Community – believe in doing the things we can do, in order to be responsible to ourselves and our planet. Changes are needed to encourage more people and corporations to self-generate. Pathways should be widened, not narrowed. Politics and negative self-interests should be cast aside, in favor of allowing good practices and good businesses, such as self-generation, to succeed towards a better future for all of us.
I and many others believe that self-generation should be the rule, not the exception. Even with nuclear and other sources of future power, homes and buildings should be able to self-generate, whenever and wherever possible. Just as every home and building has one or more hot water heaters, so too should each have DG, solar and/or other sources of on-site power generation. Hopefully in the 21st century, this vision will become reality!
I encourage everyone to explore stories like this, and to be cognizant of ways we can change in a positive direction – at home, in our schools and businesses, and at the ballot box. The rules often seem to be onerous, but they are put into place by legislative bodies comprised of elected officials – elected by us! We can all make positive changes by taking an interest in issues like this, being aware and up to speed on some of the facts and fictions and then by taking action, when necessary and possible.
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