I suggest one not look at the economics of alternative energy sources in the present, but project outward what the benefits are both economic and ecological. The EIA of DOE states that on average it takes 2,5 - 3 kwh of energy production to get 1 kwh to the client. A sizeable home PV system plumbed with grid tie will use PV power during most days and off the grid at night. PV or wind energy to the grid is used locally with each kwh saving on average ~2 kwh of additional energy at the utility. Grid tie also saves the cost of batteries and their recycling with the latter nasty, costly and conveniently out of sight. Add to this some of the admittedly wild estimates of the future costs of additional carbon dioxide and a different economic picture emerges. With time the $18 per month the utility charges us to use the grid and their nominal wholesale kwh rates they pay will be a good deal compared to the alternative. And as CA did we can get the kwh rates more in line with reality.

It's about time! We live in Hawaii and have had solar panels for hot water and electricity for a few years. Every month we produce more power than we use. The electric company charges us $18-something to stay on the grid and takes our free excess electricity and charges other customers for it! Totally not fair.

we need this to happen in los angeles.

I've been going to Hawaii for extended stays for the last eight years, and every time, I've been appalled by the lack of solar panels virtually anywhere. Two years ago I stayed in Hawaii Kai, an upscale area to the east of Honolulu. Looking over the homes from a hillside, there was not a single solar panel to be seen anywhere. For an island with probably 300 days of sunshine a year, this is grotesque, especially since all of Hawaii's power needs are supplied by imported oil. Often I wondered what the hell's the matter with the people of this state. I'm so glad to see there's finally been a breakthrough..