Three Questions for Barack Obama You Won't Hear at the Debates

With Senator Barack Obama presumably our next President, I'd like to learn a bit more about what he plans to do, given the impact of the credit crisis.

Here are three questions I'd ask in the improbable event I get asked to moderate a Presidential debate.

Solar Tax Credits Increased

One surprise by-product of the financial bail-out legislation passed this Friday appears to be a substantial increase in federal tax credits for residential solar power, upping the tax rebate from today's $2,000 cap to 30% of systems total cost in 2009.

If my reading is correct, this dramatically changes the economics of installing photo-voltaic power systems on homes, making much larger systems affordable. For example, in one specific but representative quote, a 7,000 D.C. Watt system with a gross cost of cost $57,100 that nets out to $43,447.00 after California state rebates (through the local utility, PG&E in this case) and Federal tax credits today. That same system will have a net cost of only $31,812.90 after a tax credit of $13,634.10 next year.

Basically, that solar PV system couldn't be economically justified before, but is now a worthwhile investment for a home owner.