>For starters, the US Federal Government should create a new constitutional amendment to require solar panels on all new homes and buildings constructed in this country.

I've looked at the purchasing solar panels for my house, but eventually did not do it for the following reasons.

The dutch government subsidised solar panels a few years ago. Though sure they were purchased, they never became really popular. The lifetime isn't that great. They've had some projects where every home was equiped with solar panels, but it seemed that most of them never did return the investment.

Now that they are not subsidised anymore it is even less attractive. The ROI is many years, *if* the panel even does last that long.

Sure there is progress on the technology (The netherlands is a major researcher of solar panels and alternative energy), but it is simply not cost effective yet.

Alternative energy like wind-energy has its problems as well as not everyone wants to have a 150 meter high windmill in their backyard (They appearantly make significant noise). Aside from that, you need a lot of windmills to replace traditional energy sources.

They started to experiment with biomasses and biodiesel. But they also have their problems as they are not as enviroment friendly as they are advertised and the latter requires and awfull lot of space to grow the plants for biodiesel. These lands also could have been used to grow food.

To my regret I have to admit that nuclear energy seems to be the most attractive viable energy source at the moment. It generates a lot of energy out of a very small amount of nuclear material.

I hope that in the future nuclear fusion would replace the convential nuclear technology.


>
>The plus sides of this plan are astonishing:
>
>1. Costs the government very little
>2. New jobs
>3. New investment
>4. Regulates the housing supply, letting prices raise again
>5. Increases the value of new homes
>6. Green energy
>
>Not only that, but such a bold and innovative step would be a first in the world! America would immediately be the world leader in renewable energy, environmental issues and climate change.
>
>There are probably dozens of criticisms one could make of this plan. But something has to be done, and unless you have a better idea today, it should be this.
>
>Maybe it's not ideal, maybe it's not simple, and maybe it's not going to last forever.
>
>But in the end we have to make it through the day and have hope for tomorrow. Every generation is given problems. This problem is ours to solve right now. We can't just drag our feet, and hope everything takes care of itself. This needs to be done.