Mr. Reagan, tear down those Solar Panels. Shucks, we don’t need solar panels.  That’s too liberal .

*************************************************************

Ronnie must be twirling in his grave over the current fuss about cutting costs on energy.

Homeowners with drafty windows, old heating systems, or other root causes of high energy bills can be rewarded in tax season if they make improvements in 2009 or 2010.

“This is by far the most the federal government has done in the past several decades” to reward energy-efficiency investments, says Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. “In many cases, this will make the high-efficiency product cheaper than the low-efficiency product. [For consumers], this is pretty lucrative, and I’d be surprised if it gets extended into 2011.”

New incentives increase the size of tax credits for homeowners who buy qualifying products. For instance, those who invest in highly-rated insulation, replacement windows, duct seals, or high-efficiency heating and cooling systems can now receive a tax credit worth 30 percent of the upgrade cost (maximum credit value: $1,500).

Previously, homeowners could get a tax credit worth just 10 percent of an upgrade cost, up to a maximum of $500. Now, taxpayers who spend $800 on an efficient water heater, $1,000 on insulation, and $2,000 on windows could lop $1,140 off their federal tax bill.

****************************************************

Congress this month did away with caps on 30 percent tax credits for homeowners who install solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, or windmills. Now a $24,000 investment to make a home solar-powered would generate a federal tax credit worth $7,200. (Before the stimulus, credits were capped at $2,000 for geothermal and solar; $4,000 for wind).

**************************************************

QUEEN’S THOUGHTS ON ALL THIS:

1.  Well and good for those Americans who can still afford to stay in their homes.

2. How are the manufacturers of these goods chosen?  I wonder what the criteria is for the selection?

3. I wonder what ever happened to the solar panels that Ronald Reagan ripped off the White House within the first month of his presidency?  I wonder how much THAT cost the taxpayers–not only in the cost of the solar panels themselves, but also in the cost of energy savings to the White House for the past 23 years* that would have been possible with solar panels.

**************************************************

* RE 23 years as opposed to 31 years:  Unlike Ronnie, George had solar panels installed on the White House grounds.

Yep we can all rip George many new ones, but we can’t fault him for allowing solar energy to be used on the White House grounds–although we must admit that his administration kept a VERY low profile on this story:

Since September 2002, a grid of 167 solar panels on the roof of a maintenance shed has been delivering electricity to the White House grounds.

With little fanfare, the Bush administration has installed three solarenergy systems on the grounds of the White House.

It happened late August of 2002, when, over the course of three days, the WhiteHouse had 167 solar energy panels placed atop a maintenance building outside the residence. On two other buildings — an adjoining maintenance building and the president’s cabana — systems were installed that will help heat the water for, among other uses, the presidential pool and spa.

None of the solar energy systems are visible from the street — you would have to climb to near the top of the adjacent Eisenhower ExecutiveOffice Building to see them. The systems were designed by Solar DesignAssociates of Massachusetts.

Proclaim the Queen!

•