Here, let me run a fantasy by you.<\/p>\n
. . .<\/strong><\/p>\n The story begins, and the hero is on the town council of a small New England town. The town\u2019s electricity bills are killing them.<\/p>\n The hero decides they\u2019ll go solar. Notwithstanding the fact that New England isn\u2019t exactly a primo location for solar because of its environment \u2013 no place that gets less than 200 sunny days annually is, exactly \u2013 solar is trendy and popular.\u00a0 And hey:\u00a0 the town might be able to get some help if they sell it just right.<\/p>\n In fact, the town decides to ask for a $1.2+ million grant.\u00a0 Who cares if it will only save $500,000 over the life of the project?\u00a0 And who cares if the project will be owned by an overseas company \u2013 or if other citizens of the state will end up eating the cost?<\/p>\n Later:\u00a0 well, whaddaya know?\u00a0 The hero\u2019s plan worked!\u00a0 They pulled it off!<\/p>\n The town conned the Public Utility Commission into coughing up the grant, and found some foreign company willing to bite.\u00a0 And they\u2019ll save some money \u2013 by making everyone else in the state pay extra to subsidize their power!<\/p>\n And they’re also saving the planet from global warming to boot.\u00a0 Hooray!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n . . .<\/strong><\/p>\n That fantasy kinda sucks, doesn\u2019t it? Yeah, I agree.<\/p>\n Except is isn\u2019t a fantasy<\/em><\/strong>. The above actually happened in Peterborough, NH \u2013 a town of less than 6,300 people.<\/p>\n