Oklahoma Taxes Solar Cell Owners For Returning Excess Energy Back To The Grid
57 replies, posted
[QUOTE]In a setback for the renewable energy movement, the state House in Oklahoma this week [URL="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/04/16/3427392/oklahoma-fee-solar-wind/"]passed a bill[/URL] that would levy a new fee on those who generate their own energy through solar equipment or wind turbines on their property. The measure, which sailed to passage on a near unanimous vote after no debate, is likely to be signed into law by Republican Gov. Mary Fallin.
The bill, known as S.B. 1456, will specifically target those who install power generation systems on their property and sell the excess energy back to the grid. However, those who already have such renewable systems installed will not be affected.
Still, it’s the new customers who will rapidly make up the majority, even in a traditional oil-and-gas powerhouse like Oklahoma. That’s because the cost of solar power systems has been [URL="http://cleantechnica.com/2014/04/12/falling-solar-panel-prices-resulted-global-boom-solar-2013-less-total-investment/"]drastically falling for the last five years[/URL]. Solar installations nationwide are going to shoot up to an estimated 45 gigawatts in 2014, [URL="http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2331172/bloomberg-solar-installations-set-to-hit-record-45gw-this-year"]a new record[/URL], and are [URL="http://climatedesk.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/new-growth-CD-inline.jpg"]projected to grow even more[/URL] in coming years as solar prices fall further and fossil fuel extraction gets harder and more expensive.
Now, utility firms in Oklahoma say they just want to be compensated for use of their infrastructure. But renewable energy fed back into the grid is ultimately doing utility companies a service. Solar generates in the daytime, when demand for electricity is highest, thereby alleviating pressure during peak demand.[/QUOTE]
[URL="http://news.yahoo.com/worlds-dumbest-idea-taxing-solar-energy-111300623.html"]Source[/URL]
Clearly they're getting free energy, if anything these solar cell owners should get a small tax break instead.
[img]http://www.facepunch.com/fp/ratings/box.png[/img]
I have nothing more to say. Way to ruin it, Oklahoma.
Hopefully other states do not follow along.
Don't Republicans always claim they're going to reduce taxes and such?
[QUOTE=download;44588294]Don't Republicans always claim they're going to reduce taxes and such?[/QUOTE]
They only do it when it suits them
[QUOTE=lolo;44588280]Hopefully other states do not follow along.[/QUOTE]
(In the article)
[URL="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-22/arizonas-new-fee-puts-a-dent-in-rooftop-solar-economics"]Arizona did it as well back in November[/URL]
[URL="http://www.bbc.com/news/business-24272061"]Spain is doing it as well...[/URL]
This could make sense, when you sell excess electricity you use public infrastructure, and with any source of income you have to pay taxes.
I don't understand what the problem is
This is income, and should be taxed
Those who do not sell it back to the grid aren't being taxed, those who do are
I am perfectly fine with this
[QUOTE=bunguer;44588311]This could make sense, when you sell excess electricity you use public infrastructure, and with any source of income you have to pay taxes.[/QUOTE]
That's what I was thinking, that it was too new and infrequent a source of income that previously it hadn't been taxed yet.
[QUOTE=download;44588294]Don't Republicans always claim they're going to reduce taxes and such?[/QUOTE]
Never for the working man. Only for 'job creaturs'
[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;44588339]Never for the working man. Only for 'job creaturs'[/QUOTE]
This has nothing to do with the working man, there's some pretty dramatic responses here.
Income needs a tax, you sell something, you pay a tax, that's how it works in most countries with everything you sell.
So it's fine for plants to use the sun for energy but if it's a human then it needs to be taxed.
[QUOTE=Chopstick;44588437]So it's fine for plants to use the sun for energy but if it's a human then it needs to be taxed.[/QUOTE]
if you're selling the energy you harvest then yes you pay a tax on it like everything else
not that i think a tax is really necessary for this, but the reasoning is sound and in line with established precedents
snip
As long it is just regular income tax and not some special fee this makes sense to me.
I just love how they say it was unanimous and with no debate.
"So, should we look into getting more revenue from-"
"YES!"
"I AGREE!"
"I SAY YES!"
"Don't even know what you're talking about but I LOVE IT!"
[QUOTE=Zonesylvania;44588516]Is it a necessity to tax everything? Or does this mean we're going to see taxes on beards next for instance?[/QUOTE]
income is taxed
even in the US
deal with it
[QUOTE=BrainDeath;44588874]income is taxed
even in the US
deal with it[/QUOTE]
to clarify: I have nothing against taxes. There are some taxes I see as being needless unless otherwise so properly proven, and thus am against them. This is one of them.
[QUOTE=Zonesylvania;44588902]to clarify: I have nothing against taxes. There are some taxes I see as being needless unless otherwise so properly proven, and thus am against them. This is one of them.[/QUOTE]
So you stand against income taxes in general?
[QUOTE=BrainDeath;44588874]income is taxed
even in the US
deal with it[/QUOTE]
There is no income tax in my state, only federal. And is this really income or a discount on what energy they do use? As in they use $60 worth of energy but sell back $20 meaning their bill is only $40.
[QUOTE=Zonesylvania;44588902]to clarify: I have nothing against taxes. There are some taxes I see as being needless unless otherwise so properly proven, and thus am against them. This is one of them.[/QUOTE]
This is income tax, you make money off something you have to pay taxes, it doesn't matter what, that's how everything works. If you have a business that sells a product you pay taxes, even if you make money selling crap on ebay you pay taxes, if you make money selling your energy you should also pay taxes
This was a loophole.
The title makes it sound kind of stupid, but it's honestly a good idea.
These people are making money by selling their excess electricity back to the power company. It's only right they be taxed on that additional income.
[QUOTE=Telepethi;44589014]The title makes it sound kind of stupid, but it's honestly a good idea.
These people are making money by selling their excess electricity back to the power company. It's only right they be taxed on that additional income.[/QUOTE]
In reality unless they're making money in excess of their electricity bill it should just be deducted from the final bill rather than considered a separate profit
Is this an additional tax or is it just fixing a loophole of the income tax? If it's the former then it's borderline cartoon villain, if it's the latter, eh they deserve tax breaks at least.
[QUOTE=Grenadiac;44589092]In reality unless they're making money in excess of their electricity bill it should just be deducted from the final bill rather than considered a separate profit[/QUOTE]
They don't have an electricity bill, in fact, they have so much free electricity they are selling it back to the power company for profit, thereby receiving an income that until now had been tax-free.
[editline]19th April 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=Fatfatfatty;44589093]Is this an additional tax or is it just fixing a loophole of the income tax? If it's the former then it's borderline cartoon villain, if it's the latter, eh they deserve tax breaks at least.[/QUOTE]
It's the latter, it's income and can be taxed. I agree it should be incentivized by being tax free or come with a tax break, but it's not illegal or villainous, just keeping up with the times.
All income is taxed, so this makes perfect sense. However, nice job ruining a good incentive for use of renewable energy.
[QUOTE=outlawpickle;44589122]They don't have an electricity bill, in fact, they have so much free electricity they are selling it back to the power company for profit, thereby receiving an income that until now had been tax-free.
[editline]19th April 2014[/editline]
It's the latter, it's income and can be taxed. I agree it should be incentivized by being tax free or come with a tax break, but it's not illegal or villainous, just keeping up with the times.[/QUOTE]
That's what I meant - so if their solar panels are covering all their needs rather than just lightening their bill they should be paying tax on the excess which they're profiting from.
[QUOTE=Im Crimson;44589352]All income is taxed, so this makes perfect sense. However, nice job ruining a good incentive for use of renewable energy.[/QUOTE]
Renewable energy soon, stalker!
[QUOTE=dbk21894;44588333]I don't understand what the problem is
This is income, and should be taxed
Those who do not sell it back to the grid aren't being taxed, those who do are
I am perfectly fine with this[/QUOTE]
The price that owners sell at should be the same as the cost of buying from the power company. I don't know if this tax throws that out of balance.
So people finally come up with an off the grid, sustainable system that just sits there with no outside influence other than the first time purchase of the solar panel (which includes a sales tax) and the state just has to tax them.
That's fucked. Seems like big government to me.
Shit, I could build a perpetual motion machine and generate free electricity for ALL OF MANKIND TO SHARE IN A WARM LIGHT and the government would still tax me.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.