Renewable energy through solar and photovoltaic systems are for wealthy homeowners. It does not help up to 60% or 70% of our population — basically renters and condominium owners who don’t have roofs and can’t benefit from available renewable energy programs (“New rates could boost renewables,” Star-Advertiser, Our View, Nov. 8).
Their option is community solar (solar farms owned by local residents) but that seems to have been forgotten. Instead the politicians, Hawaiian Electric and the state Public Utilities Commission have opted for large solar farms, many mainland-owned.
Most of us support reducing our communities’ carbon footprint. But the financial benefits are not kept local, but shipped off to the mainland or given to wealthy investors.
All future photovoltaic farms should be locally owned with the income paid for the power generated going to local owners to reduce their cost of electricity and therefore their cost of living.
By reducing electricity bills, the renters and condo owners have more cash to spend in our economy, creating more jobs, etc. Our government has failed again.
Peter Savio
Aina Haina
EXPRESS YOURSELF
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