Here in Australia the government has set up a Carbon Credit scheme. ......................... The end result is a fully installed 1.5kW Grid Connect PV system for around $2000AUD. ....................
The power companies will credit you for the kW/h you have put out to the grid. Here in NSW i think they pay 21cents per kWh.
Government is the real enemy here with neither quality engineering or simple common sense getting much of a look in.
The rebate price for grid connected power here in NSW has been 20c/KWh then up to 60c/KWh and then back to 21c/KWh, to satisfy the political expediency of the moment. Just like the prior botched efforts in a pink batts scheme, this has all serves to discourage vendors from investing in better technology. In Australia at least you would have to have rocks in your head to consider any business venture influenced by perpetually inconsistent government policy.
I don't think there are many who would suggest ongoing pollution is desirable or sustainable, bu to be honest I've had a gutful of actors. poets, politicians and out of touch academics putting forward all manner of crackpot suggestions.
Our Prime Minister tried to justify latest round of "cost us all a packet" schemes, with a statement about China shutting down a coal fired power station per day. She was correct the devil in her droning detail was her deliberate omission of mention of the number of newer more efficient coal fired power stations being commissioned in the same region. Even from a cursory glance it's looking like China is doing the smarter thinking.
At current pricing and technology domestic rooftop solar, windmills etc are not going to cut it when it comes to meeting our energy needs. That is not to say they shouldn't be encouraged but some common sense and engineering without emotion is sadly lacking from current policy.
Got the 2.5Kw of rooftop solar onto my parents place at the 60c rate I calculate payback of around 4 years after all the rebates. At 21c there is no way it is could be practical or economical. The evacuated tube solar hot water that went in at the same time with much less fuss or fanfare is actually a much bigger saving in ongoing power costs and pollution reduction.
We have numb-skulls here pushing for a carbon tax which will achieve nothing other than to jack up prices and to relocate the last of our industry offshore.
Good engineering is doing things better and problem solving, current government policy is sending companies keen on developing better technologies broke. Madness pure and simple,but that's what you get when you let an idiot merchant banker decide what light globes we should use and then vote doctors wives and lunatics into balance of power status. Not much hope of common sense or good engineering this side of another federal election.
Nuclear I'm in two minds, there is no reason why it shouldn't be safe, no reason why it cannot be safe. That Japan's nuclear power stations have suffered as little damage as they have in an environment that has been desolated is testament to their design. That is not saying they're not in a scary state just now. Back in Australia, whilst I'm pro nuclear in concept I'm loathe to hand the keys to governments who cannot even run trains on time or make sensible decisions on the sale of light globes.
In summary there is definitely a position vacant for good engineering design of our power generation. Sadly the political environment almost guarantees investing in such ventures will see you do your money. From what I see in Europe, the USA and UK the situations there are not that different.