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Report: Billions spent on more than 1,500 solar projects

The Daily Caller -- A Government Accountability Office report shows that there were 65 federal initiatives to support solar technology in 2010 and 2011.

During that time, officials from six federal government agencies reported obligating $2.6 billion for more than 1,500 solar energy projects, with more than 90 percent of these obligations coming from the Department of Energy.

Of the $2.3 billion the DOE spent those two year, most — $1.7 billion — went to fund the Section 1705 loan guarantee program, the very same program that gave taxpayer backed loans to failed solar companies like Solyndra and Abound Solar.

Solyndra received a $535 million loan guarantee in September 2009 and subsequently filed for bankruptcy in August 2011 — the company laid off 1,100 workers, and prompted a congressional investig


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Submitted Oct 03, 2012 By: aservant
Category: Daily News Article Discussions > Topics Add to favorite topics  
Author Topic: Report: Billions spent on more than 1,500 solar projects Post a Reply Back to Topics
REPLIES (newest first)
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jtravis711
Sophomore Author Orange County

Posts:174
Points:197,415
Joined:Feb 2011
Message Posted: Oct 4, 2012 8:56:13 AM

If its true that the government backing of these companies for so called energy independence was due in part to the political contributions to Obamma is very revealing....can the same be said for the banks that are backed by the government to big to fail?? This is not government support of our free market system but intervention thats detrimental to all of us.
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remay
Champion Author Houston

Posts:6,963
Points:2,117,390
Joined:May 2006
Message Posted: Oct 4, 2012 6:05:57 AM

And those responsible will most-likely NOT be reprimanded.
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qwerty17
Champion Author New Jersey

Posts:3,650
Points:1,117,525
Joined:Oct 2009
Message Posted: Oct 4, 2012 5:58:47 AM

in a down economy, you cannot gamble on pie in the sky ideals.
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MAC48
Champion Author Dallas

Posts:1,546
Points:766,070
Joined:Dec 2006
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:51:22 PM

The really important question is how does the taxpayer keep governments at all levels from wasting tax dollars for economically unjustifiable spending on alternative electrical energy generation technology until such time that the alternative electrical energy can be produced at the lowest cost of any other possible method of electricity generation available.
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LilRedWagonIN
Champion Author Indiana

Posts:7,776
Points:1,554,385
Joined:Oct 2008
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:39:29 PM

Is half of them going bankrupt an abnormally high percentage? Does the high percentage of them having given campaign contributions to this administration have any connection?
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mpg611
Champion Author Cleveland

Posts:2,334
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Joined:Apr 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:24:18 PM

Like we can afford that right now...........
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rahcat
Champion Author Grand Rapids

Posts:2,468
Points:662,950
Joined:Jan 2010
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:11:57 PM

Taxpayer hard earned money sucked into a black hole.
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gaspumpin
Champion Author Indiana

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Points:388,380
Joined:Apr 2012
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:10:41 PM

Billions that could have been put to better use.
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Aviator_Rob
Champion Author New York

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Joined:Mar 2012
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 9:01:13 PM

And while everyone here is griping about LOAN GUARANTEES, China continues to pump $35 billion per year in outright GRANTS!

All for the purpose of dumping below cost solar panels on the world market. Their goal? To corner the market and be a leader in green technology.

Everyone here really think we should just bend over for China?
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DutchTreatMI
Champion Author Grand Rapids

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Joined:Mar 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:58:07 PM

Too many failed Solar Companies.
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clermont40miles
Champion Author Cincinnati

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Points:1,771,920
Joined:Apr 2008
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:57:22 PM

Huge amount of money.

The technology works but is very expensive. And takes a lot of area to generate little power.
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mstearno
Champion Author Dayton

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:56:19 PM

expensive
to quote Romney
he's picking looseres
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suicyco16
All-Star Author Phoenix

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Joined:Jun 2012
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:55:07 PM

yup
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Mowerman08
Champion Author Milwaukee

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:54:11 PM

WHAT A WASTE of taxpayer money and addition to the National debt!
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OOXXFF
Champion Author Greensboro

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:53:06 PM

I hope that investment pays off in new, renewable, green energy.
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greatartiste
All-Star Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:52:50 PM

actual solar installations will provide cost/pollution reduction over time.
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frostyWV
Champion Author West Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:51:35 PM

ok
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joeschmo12
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:50:56 PM

these solar projects should've been done by now...
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MDTDriver
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:49:20 PM

Why is the deficit to high.
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hcivic
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:47:34 PM

ok
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hpow
Rookie Author Vancouver

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Joined:Oct 2012
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:40:02 PM

crazy
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bonzoonfmb
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:38:57 PM

Billions spent, negative return. Good job.
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Gas4Gore
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:37:00 PM

This will not happen after Romney is in office as President.
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Pauline579
All-Star Author North Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:36:38 PM

Another article about government wasteful spending
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txkrb
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:34:50 PM

I have yet to hear about a single one of these project being successful
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FogCitySpotter
Champion Author San Francisco

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:34:03 PM

Still not ready for prime time
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txkrb
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:33:52 PM

Wasted money
To enstein (in name only)
Trickle down worked in the 80s
Higher taxes will never improve the economy, the more you are taxed the less you have to spend (in the economy) and less to invest in the economy
and for those who say G.W. Bush favored the wealthy, his tax cuts were the largest in history for lower income groups,
thanks to the Bush tax cuts a family of 4 making $42,000 a year pays ZERO income taxes
Prior to the Bush tax cuts they would have paid over $2,500 in federal income taxes, that is a tax cut of 100% for the lower income families

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wayoung56
Champion Author Alabama

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:33:14 PM

More taxpayer money down the drain...
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dirt girl
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:32:29 PM

How quickly you all forget. We would have had more altenative energy options back as early as the 70's but when Reagan "trickle down economics" got elected, he scraped a lot of the funding for solar and wind.
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papagee55
Sophomore Author South Carolina

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:30:11 PM

ok on with the money....
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abacus44
Champion Author Toms River

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:29:06 PM

Research and development is an investment, however throwing money at companies that your advisors warned you were bound to fail isn't investment, it's borderline criminal, especially when you are making those loans to campaign cronies.
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yorkygurl2008
Veteran Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:28:42 PM

I SEE !!!!!!!
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SavALot
Champion Author Virginia Beach

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Joined:Apr 2005
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:27:52 PM

The energy source is so abundant let's hope it's utilized properly
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Enstein
Champion Author Lansing

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Joined:May 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:27:43 PM

Mr. Obama is the man for 4 more years. Mitt is a loser with no
ideals except the failed trickle down that never trickled down.
We all know Bush, Cheney and crowd screwed up and left a mess.
OBAMA 2012.
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FunMyster
All-Star Author Indiana

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Joined:Jul 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:27:14 PM

ya
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30mpg80
Champion Author Lexington

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Joined:Nov 2008
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:26:55 PM

The Daily Caller? Be careful, you might get very dizzy from the spin!
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danreino
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Joined:Mar 2008
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:26:49 PM

$900 Billion funneled to China...Thanks for playing ;(
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WIPACKERFAN
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:26:46 PM

This is totally rediculous.
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gd83goldwinger
Champion Author South Bend

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Joined:May 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:25:24 PM

Government waste, what they should be doing is getting a loan pay back guarantee from these companys. If he gets in it will be twice fold and no one be working except in the service sector.
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goodbuy
Champion Author Michigan

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Joined:May 2005
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:19:34 PM

I can eliminate unemployment tomorrow. Eliminate all unemployment benefits and if no one is collecting, 0% unemployment. THAT is how Romney will do it. He sure ain't going to find people jobs. After all, 47% of us expect the government to take care of us. Romney's words. I hope they are true if he gets elected. Romney can take care of 47% of the population because that is about how many of us will not have a job.
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1WI
All-Star Author Appleton

Posts:818
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Joined:Jan 2012
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:17:15 PM

"Tell me one area where Paul Ryan and Sarah Palin would disagree? I cannot find one area. So somehow he's the smartest guy in the party and she's the stupidest woman on earth, but they agree on everything."
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scubadaniel
Champion Author Dayton

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:15:57 PM

Hey Einstein.. of the 2 people running for president, which never help a job in the private sector? Private high school, very expensive colleges (who paid for those) and community organizing jobs... NOTHING in the private sector for Obama.
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goldrose1
Champion Author Cleveland

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Joined:Feb 2005
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:12:09 PM

Politicians throwing our tax dollars around, expecting that they can influence businesses and an entire sector of the world economy.
Maybe they can.
Some times.
Doesn't seem like it makes much difference except an excuse to raise taxes, indemnify our children and grand children with national debt.

As in poker, I wonder if they've gone "all in," yet.
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Enstein
Champion Author Lansing

Posts:1,133
Points:56,305
Joined:May 2011
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:11:35 PM

If Romney gets in we will not need energy as most will not be able
to pay for it. Romney is another Bush, family sponged off taxpayers
all his life and everything given to him.
OBAMA 2012.



[Edited by: Enstein at 10/3/2012 11:12:57 PM EST]
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serrog
Champion Author Nova Scotia

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:03:26 PM

ok
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John747
Champion Author Chicago

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Joined:Aug 2001
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 8:02:14 PM

Just another way the government wastes taxpayer money.
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mrbee
Champion Author Little Rock

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Joined:Oct 2005
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 7:59:15 PM

More waste.
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camel1
Champion Author Minnesota

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Joined:Jul 2006
Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 7:58:05 PM

ok
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DarthDadJr
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 7:58:02 PM

...about the same went to the oil industry last year...that didn't get you anything either.
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Mikeyl
Champion Author Cleveland

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Message Posted: Oct 3, 2012 7:57:09 PM

More of the "trickle-down government" that Romney was talking about in the debate tonight.

Is this really the right path? Should government be leading the way or should private enterprise take the lead?

I think you know who your candidate is based upon your answer to that question.

And, the fate of our country rests on your shoulders. Consider your options wisely.
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