FR: Never Accept the Premise of Your Opponent’s Argument
Question for Portland residents who have invested in solar panels. Given the rainy and overcast days in the Portland area, are solar panels worth the investment?
Hasn’t Oregon invested wisely in hydroelectric power?
I think most of Portland’s electrical power comes from three dams along the Columbia River, damns which a couple of Indian tribes want shut down to save the Orcas. (Orcas face a dwindling food supply because of competition from seals, who are a protected species and are over-breeding and eating too much food.)
While there are a few places rooftop solar will pay for itself in a reasonable time, Portland isn’t one of them. You need both lots of sun (insolation) and expensive power. Portland has neither high insolation, nor high electricity prices. Solar would never pay for itself. The only other significant factor is of course, government subsidies. Free panels pay for themselves rather quickly (with other people’s money).