Solar Incentives: What Happened to Them?

Alright, let's get this straight. "Silver linings" for the solar industry? Give me a freakin' break. We're talking about an industry on life support, desperately grasping at straws while the Grim Reaper – in this case, Trump and his cronies – sharpens his scythe.

The "Leasing" Mirage

So, this Durham, North Carolina company, EnerWealth Solutions, thinks they've found a loophole? Leasing solar panels to homeowners because the federal tax credit is about to vanish for individuals? It's like trying to bail out the Titanic with a teacup. They buy the panels with the commercial tax credit still available and then rent them out, passing along the savings. How noble. One North Carolina company’s plan for keeping rooftop solar going

It's a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. Sure, it might help a few folks in North Carolina get solar panels on their roofs before everything goes completely belly up, but let's not pretend this is some revolutionary solution.

And let's be real, this whole thing hinges on exploiting a temporary tax credit. What happens when that disappears? They're making hay while the sun shines, alright, but what about when the sun sets? Are they just gonna pack up and leave everyone hanging?

Whiplash and Macroeconomic Mayhem

The article mentions policy whiplash and a difficult macroeconomic environment. High interest rates and inflation are already kicking the crap out of the solar industry. Then you have Trump and his goons yanking away $7 billion in grants for low-income households. $156 million of that was supposed to help 12,000 families in North Carolina. Gone. Poof.

And Attorney General Jeff Jackson is suing? Good for him. But lawsuits take time, and time is exactly what the solar industry doesn't have.

It's like watching a slow-motion train wreck. You see it coming, you know it's gonna be ugly, but you're powerless to stop it.

This leasing scheme is just another sign of the times. Companies are getting creative, sure, but they're also scrambling for survival. They have to. It's adapt or die.

I mean, is this really progress, or just a fancy way to prolong the inevitable? I guess the question is, what happens when they can't lease anymore?

Hawai'i's Solar Bloodbath

And don't even get me started on Hawai'i. That article paints a grim picture. Trump killed the federal solar tax credit early, and now the state's solar industry is facing a "bloodbath." Nice. Trump Killed Solar In Hawaiʻi. The Legislature Must Act Now

Hawaiians already pay through the nose for electricity – something like 43 cents per kilowatt hour on O'ahu. Solar was supposed to be the escape hatch, but now that's getting slammed shut too.

Thousands of skilled workers are about to lose their jobs. Companies are bracing for layoffs and closures. It's economic devastation by policy choice, the article says. And you know what? They're right.

The state legislature needs to step up and protect the existing state tax credit, reinstate rebates for low-income households, and streamline the permitting process. But will they? Seriously, will they? Or will they just sit on their hands and watch the whole thing burn?

Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe solar was always a pipe dream. A nice idea, but ultimately unsustainable.

Oh, and offcourse, there's the Jewish Solar Challenge. Good for them, helping nonprofits go solar and save money. But let's be honest, that's a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of the problem.

So, What's the Point?

Solar ain't dead yet, but it's definitely on its last legs. These "silver linings" are just desperate attempts to keep it alive. But without serious policy changes and a whole lot of luck, it's hard to see a bright future for the industry.

It's All Just Smoke and Mirrors