[walshemj]

Yes but giving vast tax breaks to upper middle class people isn't the way to do it and i say that as some one who could easily have done that (we have a v nice roof facing in just the right direction)

Did you not see the original 8% tax free return for 20 years I mentioned - the uk 10 year yield is currently 2.7%

[bborud]

Then how do you suggest we get people to install solar panels?

[walshemj]

I wouldn't I would put Rnd cash into fuel cell's both for local use and for vehicles.

Spare wind/wave energy can then be stored as hydrogen and used as fuel for both aplications.

[bborud]

OK, I'll humor you: So how would you go about getting people to install hydrogen fuel cells if subsidies and tax breaks are off the table?

The main issue here is that solar panels are not yet cost effective (or energy neutral) -- not whether or not we believe in the technology. To make progress you need to get the ball rolling by creating a market so that you can fund development and gather practical experience. So the question remains: what mechanism is the appropriate mechanism for stimulating the necessary development?

[toomuchtodo]

The money has to come from somewhere, and its either tax breaks or direct subsidies (ie. cash payments).

[walshemj]

No government has an infinite amount of cash and there are better things (NHS, Infrastructure, Sovereign Wealth funds) to spend it on rather than a vast tax break for high net worth individuals.

[toomuchtodo]

Distributed renewable generation is infrastructure. Also, the health costs from coal fired generation are enormous.