Green Dictatorship

[BestTimesNow]

"The town council took the significant step in June of moving from merely encouraging citizens to install solar panels to making them an obligation. The ordinance, the first of its kind in Germany, will require solar panels not only on new buildings, which fewer people oppose, but also on existing homes that undergo renovations or get new heating systems or roof repairs."

Mr. Schönherr had hoped to reinsulate his home, but to do so, and to satisfy the solar regulation, he would have to install a larger solar panel. It would cost him close to $8,000.

“That leads, in my case, and I would think in other cases as well, that people say, ‘Well, let’s just not reinsulate the roof,’ ” Mr. Schönherr said. “So it’s absolutely counterproductive.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/wo...o_interstitial

[debs]

You don't agree with the panels being in Germany or that they're being forced onto peoples houses?

[BestTimesNow]

Save me, from people that are trying to save me!

I think there are several reasons why this is a bad law.

Why turn a historic town into an eyesore?

The city is forcing people to buy something that they may not want, in order to complete some other home repairs that they need.

“Specifically, the law requires at least 1-sq meter of solar energy collector per 20-sq meters of roof surface. That, according to the council, should give a minimum of 4-sq meters of solar-thermal collector or 1 kilowatt of photovoltaic panels. The city estimates a cost of 4,000 Euro ($6,134) per single-family house, to be carried by the home owner.”


Here’s an example of people choosing to spend a lot of money for solar collectors.

Solar Power Hits Home - TIME


Germany is a marginal location for solar collectors.

http://www.oksolar.com/abctech/image...tion_large.gif

Would large installations of photovoltaic solar panels be much more efficient up in the mountains, where the air is thinner and the reflected sunlight, from winter snow cover would increase the solar radiation at the panels? The worst sunburn that I ever received was when I was snow skiing.

[HB Acharya]

Originally Posted by BestTimesNow

"The town council took the significant step in June of moving from merely encouraging citizens to install solar panels to making them an obligation. The ordinance, the first of its kind in Germany, will require solar panels not only on new buildings, which fewer people oppose, but also on existing homes that undergo renovations or get new heating systems or roof repairs."

Mr. Schönherr had hoped to reinsulate his home, but to do so, and to satisfy the solar regulation, he would have to install a larger solar panel. It would cost him close to $8,000.

“That leads, in my case, and I would think in other cases as well, that people say, ‘Well, let’s just not reinsulate the roof,’ ” Mr. Schönherr said. “So it’s absolutely counterproductive.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/wo...o_interstitial

Reading your post what I have learned is dictating people that way is not something really pleasing to hear at all. No government must enforce or impose anything like that on people against their will. But the point is when things are taken in the interests of the common mass, or if it is done to improve or protect our environment I am in for it.

I do not oppose you at all on this issue, but for the greatest common good, or taking the world into consideration the decision the government is undertaking is really commendable and worthy of praise.

I would have been supportive of the action of the government had it taken a decision like this.

Maybe you have a different perspective or bent of mind. I apologize if I sounded rude or offensive on you.

[DebbieJ]

Wait, wait, wait. This is interesting for me because it is my intention to invest in some Berlin property within the next year. So if I buy a house, I have to install some solar panels on the roof? Is this also applicable for foreign investors like me?

[Richard]

Originally Posted by HB Acharya

I do not oppose you at all on this issue, but for the greatest common good, or taking the world into consideration the decision the government is undertaking is really commendable and worthy of praise.

Unfortunately, action taken "for the common good" has historically been used to justify all sorts of atrocities against individuals and ethnic groups.

[blackfoxtrade]

Originally Posted by DebbieJ

Wait, wait, wait. This is interesting for me because it is my intention to invest in some Berlin property within the next year. So if I buy a house, I have to install some solar panels on the roof? Is this also applicable for foreign investors like me?

As I understood it, the law is only applicable to that particular town. Marburg, that is.

[brianidaho]

I don't argue that it's for the public good...in that case the public that is receiving the benefit should be the ones paying for it, not the individual homeowner. Adding this huge and unnecessary expense in order to "allow" people to do basic repairs or improvements could force people out of their homes, that's just wrong. If it's truely in the public interest the public should be paying for it in the form of higher taxes.

[prashamk]

Greenomania! is taking its toll!

Sad news. While all the countries are giving incentives to go green, this move is highly discouraging.

[spadlet]

Yet nobody seems to mind that the UK introduced legislation requiring measures such as insulation increase to be carried out as part of getting permission for refurbishments.