And what was the total cost of that investment, excluding subsidies? Historically solar has a much higher cost per kilowatt hour than electric coming off the grid, but obviously varies by how much sun you get. This seems to be changing rapidly but I still have trouble finding the numbers on solar energy that don't include subsidies. Tesla has some exciting battery storage stuff going on that could also change the cost curve dramatically on solar, or so it appears.
Hey, try finding cost analyses of fossil fuel use that don't include subsidies!
LEVEL PLAYING FIELD is the piece of the puzzle you're missing. Currently the corporations get to make all the rules- and break them with impunity.
The idea that energy conservation or efficiency is bad doesn't survive the smell test.
Our very point, by the way, is to eliminate subsidies for every form of corporate welfare to the greatest extent possible, except those for helping real, actual, needy people.
We need to take a hard look at utilities and see how that model can be expanded for other services besides water, gas and electricity. I think a data utility makes an enormous amount of sense and we had one in this country for many years; Ma Bell. They were regulated and supervised to be able to operate for the public good while earning enough money to continue providing the service efficiently, as many other utilities still are.
That doesn't make them a target for privatization and the subsequent fleecing of the public!