As I attempt to go back off grid for the first time in decades, this time with a family in tow, I'm struck by just how much the solar, and by extension renewable energy, industry has changed.
What once was geared towards people living an alternative lifestyle is now centered around making yuppies in the suburbs believe that they're saving the world if they grid-tie some solar panels on their roof and charge their Tesla at home. It's populated by "business managers" who are only interested is seeing how many shoddily done jobs they can slap up in a short amount of time who mask that fact by pretending to care about the environment to their customers.
I have yet to have a positive interaction with anyone in the industry about actual self-sustainability. They just don't care. It's all so....corporate and phony now.
This is a real disappointment in my current life. Can't even drop out of society effectively anymore.
This is a great question, frankly, to start a whole big discussion that maybe isn't best for short form writing. Nonetheless, here's my best attempt with the understanding that black and white doesn't really exist here, or in many places, despite the fact that people like good vs bad and nuance is often difficult.
Helpful? Are you otherwise using power from coal fired power plants? Sure, it's a step in the right direction. Is it pollution-less and totally guilt free as it's sold to be? Not really.
So let's take one nuanced perspective here as an example. My issue currently.
One, there's quite a few solar installers/renewable energy groups that service the area I am attempting to set up in. When you say "off grid" the majority of them hang up the phone. Why? That takes more time and effort, which slows down making money. If they were really in it for sustainability then they'd be more than happy to take the money of someone trying to live a sustainable life.
Two, a couple of them who don't just hang up are more than happy to say *exactly* that. "Love what you're doing! I got into this business for that, but, I don't do that anymore. I make a lot more money doing suburban grid-tie." Or, "Man, that's why I got in the business, but, we were bought out by a larger company and they don't allow us to do that anymore."
Three, catering to excess, as a way of business should be antithetical to what they're doing, right? But, a lot of these companies aren't interested in doing anything that doesn't generate frankly insane amount of electricity so that their check is bigger at the end of the job. Have a 2000 square foot home? Not interested! Have a 6000 square foot home and two Teslas to charge? Awesome, be right over! The deciding factor for one company I spoke with was two-fold. One, would I be willing to spend $200,000. Two, how many electric cars did I envision myself buying.
Soothing suburban soccer mom's conscience about their lives with sweet lies about how they're saving the world by putting 40 panels on their McMansion's roof isn't how I'd hoped the industry would mature, but, here we are.
TLDR; solar is good, excess is still bad. The panels and their materials, the fossil fuels involved with manufacturing, transporting, and installing are still real. In an honest industry that would all be front and center, not hidden behind "save the world" messaging.
@BE Sorry, I'm not sure how this works. The above was in response to your comment about purveyors of solar panels on the home, and alt energy companies in general. Cheers.