Posted on 10/30/2025 12:38:18 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Back in the late 1970s there was a popular wine commercial with the film director Orson Welles reminding us that “some things can’t be rushed,” and concluding with what became a famous catchphrase: “We will sell no wine before its time.”
One of the biggest yet least discussed problems with the race to establish the solar industry before the subsidies run out is that the product has arguably been rushed to market before it is perfected. The construction is getting ahead of the expertise – meaning that billions of dollars could be invested in solar devices that are soon to become outdated.
The haste to establish solar fields across more than a million acres of U.S. farmland – along with countless more installations around the world – has seemed to come with relatively little long-term planning as to deployment, functionality with existing electric grids and eventual decommissioning and disposal.
Modern solar devices are relatively new creations, in many cases still being studied and upgraded. And yet, giant arrays of solar panels mounted on posts – replacing acres of corn, wheat and soybean fields – are being established as though the technology is finalized and the form complete.
A stark example of the folly of rushing solar products to market was recently provided. The Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in the Mojave Desert, built from 2010-14 at a cost of $2.2 billion – including $1.6 billion in three federal loan guarantees from the Obama Energy Department – is now “set to close in 2026 after failing to efficiently generate solar energy,” according to a recent story in the New York Post.
“The facility’s 5 square miles of desert were covered with some 173,500 heliostats, adjusted via computer to catch maximum rays,” the story noted. “The computer-controlled mirrors can reflect light from the sun...
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearenergy.org ...
It will cost lots of $ to get rid of it.
And 100’s years for the land to recover.
Look Environmentalists, how much environmental damage are you causing!
But if they wait they miss the bandwagon they want to jump on.
Of course you launch billions of new ideas. They’re new after all. And it’s only government money.
Everyone knows that government has lots of money. Not like taxpayers have to cover those costs or anything.
“Clean Energy Investors” played the same game with subsidized windmills in the 1970s under Carter. Same results. No accountability.
I have some very nice Tulip Bulbs for sale.
“Billions wasted” is not how you’d see it if you were one of the cronies who were on the receiving end.
Solar power technology was making enormous strides towards becoming a mainstream technology.
Obama's green agenda pushed the industry into a premature boom which resulted in disastrous bust that killed most of the innovative , advanced technology companies.
The assets pf thees companies were purchased for pennies on the dollar and shipped to China. China now controls the solar power industry world wide.
Almost like it was planned that way.
I have been buying stock in $25-$50 at a time on Cash App. I purchased $50 into a rising Solar stock only to see it go bankrupt 3 months later. I sold my position for 1 cent to close it out.
Loss of $49.99 out of $50.00.
The "Solar Energy Scam" worked perfectly.
Their "plan" had many facets
First, last, and always, line their pockets with as much $$$$ as possible.
Use the useful idiots who believe they are "saving the planet."
If they run out of useful idiots, mandate "solar energy." In Kalifornia, all new construction must have solar on the roof. If you do not want it, fine. Just don't build in Kalifornia. (I imagine a large enough campaign donation to the Kalifornia democRAT Cabal might get you a waiver).
I have similar concerns about the exploding AI and data centers investment.
and many more billions flushed down the biden toilet by auto makers who claimed to believe that EVs were the wave of the future and that consumers would no longer buy ICE autos in a few years ...
If ignored by the government the solar and wind industries would develop and come on line when they can provide better or a cheaper or better and cheaper products to market. By government forcing the issue , unworkable produces are rushed to market and fail, the country is poorer for that and government participation in and necessary degradation of the economy is greatly increased.
The haste to establish solar fields across more than a million acres of U.S. farmland – along with countless more installations around the world – has seemed to come with relatively little long-term planning as to deployment, functionality with existing electric grids and eventual decommissioning and disposal.
Alternative energy was never the point. Fattening wallets was the point.
It wasnt wasted and there was no rush to market. The money flowed where it was supposed to go and there was no rush to market because there was no market. There was a rush to cash in on Dim control of government and rode the green grift.
This article helps reinforce the idiotic notion that the only thing wrong with solar is poor timing and planning. Those actually believe that this was simply misguided and rushed, instead the democratic grift that it was, only reinforce the notion that central planners and experts can steer the country in its choices.
Obama Era Mantra. Pushing the idea he is still President.
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