Fox News Claims Solar Won't Work in America Because It's Not Sunny Like Germany

Slate ^ | 2/8/13 | Will Ooremus

[OKRA2012]

Thanks to Fox News and its expert commentators, millions of Americans now understand the real, hidden reason why Germany's solar-energy industry is so much further along than ours. Turns out it has nothing to do with the fact that Germany's government has long supported the industry far more generously, with policies like feed-in tariffs that stimulate investment in green technologies. No, the real reason is much simpler, explained a trio of journalists on Fox & Friends: It's always sunny in Germany!

[FrankR]

I spent three years in Germany, “sunny days” were rare.

[OKRA2012]

At some point you would think that Roosevelt could have stopped the Nazis from building that giant sunblocking umbrella over America.

[lafroste]

It’s not as asinine as cnn reporterette asking yesterday if the coming flyby of an asteroid was caused by global warming (as reported on FR yesterday).

[Patsygirl]

Living in Cincy, I would not waste the money!!

[Joe 6-pack]

Most Americans tend to think of Europe as being directly across the Atlantic from the US, yet a simple look at a globe or Mercator projection map is all it takes to realize that Paris is situated at a higher latitude than even the northernmost point in Maine, and the southernmost point in Germany occupies a higher latitude than Fargo, ND.

Consequently, yes, Germany, like Alaska, gets a lot more daylight in the summers than most Americans typically experience, but if that leads you to believe that you can lean more heavily on solar power, you're not going to enjoy the winters very much.

[tumblindice]

"At least we don't think global warming causes asteroids. Formica?" "Or does it? In other news, Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck "Chuck" Hagel appeared before Congress today. We take you to Velveeta Jones on Capitol Hill." "Strong today on Free Republic, the ennui." That freaky lookin' critter on Star Wars, name escapes me. ET?

[lafroste]

Ahhh, you beat me to it.

[mc5cents]

In fact, according to Greentech Media, every energy source in the last 400 years of U.S. history has been subsidized."

Say what? 400 years of U.S. history. Lets see, 1789 to 2013 is what, 223 years. Where did the other 177 years come from??

[OKRA2012]

Both, the belief that asteroids contribute to global warming and the belief that the sun does not shine all that much in the US but shines all the time in Germany are asinine.

[Beagle8U]

Even today, many people heat with wood. Just how exactly has the Federal government ever subsidized that?

Free axes, coupons for free chainsaws, anything, ever?

[x]

If every network is responsible for what the “happy talk” shows say — if Katie Couric and Joy Behar are ABC and Kathie Lee and Hoda and the weatherman who pooped his pants are NBC — a lot of stones are going to be thrown.

[cruise_missile]

I heard that Germany is cutting way back on solar energy
projects.

Spiegel reported that the global warming theory has lots of errors.
It was posted here on FR

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2981463/posts

[driftdiver]

“Say what? 400 years of U.S. history. Lets see, 1789 to 2013 is what, 223 years. Where did the other 177 years come from?? “

Dr Hansen at NASA

[Navy Patriot]

It's Slate, for cryin' out loud.

I don't even have to look (and give 'em a hit), it's a misquote, edited quote, or a wisecrack in jest.

The fact is, major reliance on solar cannot be achieved in the US, yet.

[Secret Agent Man]

Yeah the southwest area really doesn’t get a lot of sun down there. I guess all the old folks that move there do so for the dry heat.

[Lmo56]

Gee - I thought that Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia ...

[Mamzelle]

That is a funny pic. I am often embarrassed by how the Fox babes dress—and I like the fox babes as a general rule, but the fetish shoes, the Leg Chair and all the exposed skin makes me cringe.

[cripplecreek]

And here in Michigan all those solar panels would be covered with snow right now.......

LOL My mother was in Jackson yesterday and passed a place that sells solar panels. She said they might sell better if they weren't covered with 4 inches of snow.

Meanwhile, our green governor is happily behind tearing out all of the dams which could actually produce power so he can put up windmills instead.

[elcid1970]

Easy to tell a new arrival in Germany - the one who keeps asking, “Does it ever stop raining around here?”

Now, clear days were spectacular & appreciated.

[mylife]

FNC is as bad as the rest of them.
Joshi has no credentials in energy.
Her schooling is in finance.