Lucky Number 10 Million: How a New Bill is Aiming to Boost the Power of Solar

by Kirsten Nelson-Johnson

In recent years, solar state-wide incentive programs have experienced encouraging success. However renewable energy is still in need of a pick-me-up that will establish it as an affordable option for power among mainstream citizens. In this effort Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), chairman of the U.S. Senate’s green jobs subcommittee, has introduced the 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act of 2010 to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on the rooftops of homes and businesses over the next decade alongside an increase in solar hot water capacity of 10 million gallons.

According to the bill, the use of solar photovoltaics on the roofs of 10 percent of existing buildings could meet 70  percent of peak electric demand. Currently, the State of California leads the United States in installed solar photovoltaic systems and has used similar statewide rebate programs to promote the installation of more than 500 megawatts of grid-connected solar photovoltaics.

However, despite recent pushes in solar incentives the bill's language demonstrates concern for the lack of forward momentum on the installation of solar systems in the United States. Despite inventing solar technology, the United States currently ranks fourth in installed solar behind Germany, Spain, and Japan. The US has fallen behind nations with less solar resources because those nations have set in place policies to promote solar energy.

The bill also addresses the installation of solar heating systems with an overall capacity of 10 million gallons. Currently, there are more than 1.5 million solar water heating systems in the United States that rely on the sun to provide hot water, and there is enormous potential for additional solar hot water systems to displace fossil fuel use in water heating. According to the the bill:

“Homes in the United States spend more than $13,000,000,000 on energy for water heating...equivalent to 11.4 barrels of oil per home and accounts for approximately 30 percent of the carbon dioxide emissions of an average home, but solar water heating systems can reduce the cost of water heating and reduce residential carbon dioxide emissions.”

The proposed bill would make rebates available to any homeowner, business, nonprofit entity, or State or local government that purchased and installed a solar photovoltaic system or solar water heating system for a property located in the United States.

However, not all are in favor of such an large increase in solar funding. Not all states have the consistent sunshine of California. In an interview with grist.org, Senator Sanders countered this argument by saying that the fact is “every state in this country can produce at least 10 percent of its electricity from solar.” He continued by citing some simple and convincing  statistics on the costs of solar, which are often perceived as much higher than other alternative every sources.

“Roughly speaking, a new nuclear power plant will cost you about $10 billion. Then at some point you've got to decommission it and get rid of the waste- a great expense. The average nuclear power plant will produce about 1,000 megawatts for that $10 billion dollars. We can produce 30,000 megawatts for $30 billion and they're going to produce it for $300 billion.”

To the legislators who drafted this bill and many of their constituents, it's not a matter of either/or when choosing what renewable energy sources to develop.  It's all. Wind, geothermal, biomass alongside continued use of oil, coal and nuclear as necessary. According to Senator Sanders, “Our main job is to cut back greenhouse gas emissions in a fundamental way, and to transform our energy system.” In other words, with proposed legislation like the 10 Million Gallons of Solar Water Heating Act, we will accelerate the process of cost-savings, decreasing harmful emission, job creation, and economic recovery, all utilizing what comes free- the sun.

To learn more about this bill read Senator Sanders interview with grist.org and read the entirety of the bill as presented in Congress.

To keep up to date on the progress of the bill and get further details on when and how to access similar rebates, please check back with us on EIA's News Page.