The Queensland government is considering higher charges and subsidy cuts for solar panels saying that it is unfair that the majority subsidise the minority.

Solar subsidies have been cut by the British government in recent years too with further cuts to come.  Solar panels just don’t produce enough electricity in this country to cover the cost of their installation, maintenance and eventual disposal.  And if they don’t produce enough electricity to be economically viable in Queensland which has unbroken sunshine for as much as a third of the year then there is no hope in England where we have sunshine for about one sixth of the year.

Solar panels are a false economy just like windmills.  They don’t produce enough electricity to power your home and they are only economically viable if you’re subsidising yourself through your taxes.  It won’t be long before the subsidy on solar panels drops below the payback level for the companies that own them and who pays then?  I can’t imagine the contracts leaving the solar panel companies out of pocket.

The only way solar power is going to pay is by building them in right from the outset with photovoltaic roof tiles on new builds and some more thought at the design stage to align houses north south to make them sun traps.  These winding, “organic” looking road layouts might look great on an artist’s impression and break up the monotony of the built environment but they’re no good for solar power and if the industry is serious about making solar pay then they have to start supporting it by design.

Australia is miles further down the road of environmentalist lunacy and solar power as it is now won’t survive the subsidy cuts.  In a few years’ time we’ll point at houses with these big shiny bits of plastic on their roof and mock them like we did with BSB’s squarials and Ionica’s octagonal microwave dishes.