Gov't Loans

[WilliamH]

It's the Fox News source.

You allege it is from Fox news. Please cite source including URL.
You should really leave your political prejudice behind before you start writing.

 

[Smitty901]

True. That’s why other countries are much ahead of the United States in developing solar technology, because they use tax money and incentives to fund innovation. For example Germany has more than double the output of solar energy as compared to the US at half the price per kWh (and that country only has a fraction of available sunlight).

And if government would adequately support start ups that have innovative ideas to save resources and energy, we would be much further along in the process of actually seeing Elio’s being produced…

We did fund a bunch of them to the tune of billions. They pocket most of the cash, sent some back to the administration and left town.
Still the only way you can sell the junk is have someone else pick up the cost.

 

[Rickb]

You allege it is from Fox news. Please cite source including URL.
You should really leave your political prejudice behind before you start writing.

I am an Independent, have voted for both sides of the ticket, am as close to the middle of far right and far left as I can be, so please don't label me as being politically prejudice. I do believe that Fox News is politically biased as are all news sources.

 

['lio]

We did fund a bunch of them to the tune of billions. They pocket most of the cash, sent some back to the administration and left town.
Still the only way you can sell the junk is have someone else pick up the cost.

• that statement is false; advanced technology sells because it is better than what preceded it, that will be the same once the Elio gets build. You could also make a case that carbon based technologies are only lingering around because government in the US has not that much interest in promoting anything else
• we fund carbon based industries to the tune of (many) billions, they pocket most cash too, so what?
• Germany, and similar nations, export more than they import (how about the US trade balance?); much of the exports consist of cutting edge technology, producing that “junk” as you call it, brings many jobs and a trade surplus (and cleaner air and water locally)
• without government funding and support of advanced technology, countries fall further and further behind. Look at the US rail system, less reliable and advanced than that of some developing nations, such as China.
For comparison: the fastest train in the US, the Acela, runs at a top speed of 150 mph, but only on some portions of the route and in Japan a seven passenger-car train was recently tested at 375 mph. The Acela is also completely dependent on foreign technology
• and “but we have been to the moon” doesn’t cut it, this is about current and future jobs and not falling further behind in many indicators
• US technology has fallen behind so much, that overseas they advertise, “no American parts”, to show something is advanced and not likely to break down, why is that? To much funding? That’s one reason why I like the Elio: locally made with great technology, unlike let’s say an iPhone that is assembled in China with German and Japanese components…

 

['lio]

It's puzzling why anyone would oppose low interest gov't loans to encourage development of solar energy and other alternative energy innovations unless somehow connected directly to gas, coal, and oil. That same logic/mentality would oppose the 84 mpg Elio ATVM Loan approval and other alternative vehicle developments. I don't get it.

And precisely that opposition seems to be the hold up with Elio going forward. If government loan guarantees wouldn’t take years to process, maybe we would have at least more prototype Elios on the road.

Hand-outs to Wall Street on the other hand, usually proceed much quicker. There is a lot of corporate welfare in the US, but it often goes to the most undeserving businesses that create the least amount of jobs and exports.

 

[Folks]

It's puzzling why anyone would oppose low interest gov't loans to encourage development of solar energy and other alternative energy innovations unless somehow connected directly to gas, coal, and oil. That same logic/mentality would oppose the 84 mpg Elio ATVM Loan approval and other alternative vehicle developments. I don't get it.

If I had to depend on Russia for my supply I'd be supper solar too. Not so in America.

 

[Rickb]

If I had to depend on Russia for my supply I'd be supper solar too. Not so in America.

Perhaps that is the point and importance of supporting the development of alternative energy options to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. It seems you may prefer to wait until one day you pull up to the pump to fill up your Elio and there is a sign stuck on the gas pump "holy shit we're out of fuel" as I fly by in my Elio EV that's charged from a solar power grid.

 

[satx]

"unless somehow connected directly to gas, coal, and oil"

... which is EXACTLY the case.

BigCarbon, BigElectric, BigFinance, etc buys politicians at all levels to protect/enable their market domination.

 

[ecdriver711]

Big (too big) government. The real problem.

 

[jdkeats]

Exploitable is the key word. Oil, coal, and gas companies exploiting both our natural resources and the consumer base. Times are changing and we need to make up for the exploited time to meet our future needs. We should have been smart enough to consider alternatives and look to the future right after Arizona became a State. We started with more technology and should have maintained the level to remain competitive in the global markets.

The main difference between us and Europe is our economy is driven by the free market and not by Government mandate like most of the Socialists Governments.
Why would a business develop a technology that could produce electricity at a rate of $0.10/ KW when existing technologies can produce it at $0.05/ KW?
There is no incentive unless Government interferes with the free market.
The bottom line is that I do not implicitly trust either, I just trust the free market more than the Government.

The old adage, " power corrupts, absolute power absolutely corrupts" is a belief I adhere to and unwilling to trust any government to look after our best interests.

Any alternative energy program that waste tax payer dollars is just another Solyndra.

Is the word "exploited" used for all non-renewable fuel sources? I find that vocabulary now dictates ideology.

illegal immigrant is now an undocumented worker? just games being played for the mindless.