John MacDonald: Time to think bigger than solar panels on the roof

Whatever happened to this country’s ability to think big on the energy front?   And why is it that we’re not doing the same with solar energy and why are our politicians relying on households to do the heavy lifting? I mention thinking big intentionally. Because that’s what we did back in the 1970s and 1980s, especially with the big hydro power schemes. These days, though, instead of thinking big about energy we’re tinkering around the edges. The latest example is Labour’s solar energy policy which, like National’s policy which came out the other week, is all about getting more households going solar. Essentially, both policies focus on giving people the chance to take out a cheap loan to pay for solar panels and batteries. Some banks already offer this. But you have to have a mortgage with them to qualify. Labour’s policy has a few extras. Such as option for renters to use plug-in panels, which are all the rage in some overseas countries, apparently. But I reckon that, if our politicians are really serious about using solar to get cheaper and more reliable power supplies, then they need to be thinking bigger than just solar panels on the roof. And we should be investing in state-owned solar farms. Instead of relying on people to take out loans and put panels on top of their houses, the government should have some skin in the game and get into the business of mass solar generation itself. If it was good enough for us to build big hydro power stations back in the day, the state should be doing something similar and building massive solar farms. You could say it’s already doing a bit of that, with its shareholding in the big power generators. But I think it could and should do more. Because, as much as Labour and National will tell us that it’s all about dealing with the cost of living and reducing household power bills, that’s not the real issue. The real challenge is ensuring we have enough power to keep the lights on at the likes of big manufacturing plants. That’s the real challenge facing us. And that’s where solar can play a vital role. But we’re not going to do that with you and I getting a cheap loan and adding a few panels and a battery to the house. Which is why I think large-scale government investment and ownership of big solar farms would be an absolute no-brainer. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.