Old article, good news

[Daox]

I came across this article today and thought I'd share. It is a year and a half old now, but still shows that clean renewable power power is totally doable and actually quite viable and there are people actually doing it on a very large scale.

German solar power output up 60 pct in 2011

German solar power producers raised electricity output in 2011 by 60 percent over 2010 to 18 billion kilowatt hours, grabbing more than 3 percent of total power output volumes, its lobby group Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft (BSW) said on Thursday.

The sector already produced enough power to supply some 5.1 million households, one eighth of all households or the entire state of Thuriniga, BSW said.

...

So-called green power in 2011 captured 19.9 percent of the power mix, compared with 16.4 percent in 2010, it said in preliminary data earlier this month, without giving production totals.

[gasstingy]

I am always thrilled to see examples of PV power in action if it includes private individuals getting to participate. I know it's good for the environment whether the PV power is generated by individuals or corporations, but "individuals" lose out most of the time and corporations get most of the benefits. Germany allows individuals to participate as do many localities in this country. It amazes me how few people actually do participate, but will gamble their hard earned money in a mutual fund.

It took four years for my electric cooperative {cooperative suggests cooperation, and they ain't it} to allow me to operate a PV array, but I am blessed to have it going right now! I am still commited to, and working on, being as energy efficient as I know how. The PV array ties into my retirement planning.