However the shake-out proceeds, the poor will be the very last to benefit, if at all.
This is open to discussion. Do the "poor" benefit from my solar? I would say yes:
1) My excess kwh are daytime, times of load management of peak loads by the utility and service interruptions. I am adding capacity which will reduce the utility need for load management, which will result in less service interruptions and less need for the utility to buy expensive peak power, which should reduce rates for everyone.
2) My PV is adding efficiency to the grid. I doubt that my excess kwh even make it a mile down the road before they are used by other consumers. Line loss of such short distances is minimal, compared to 10-20% on grid supplied power. Increasing efficiency also translates to more kwh at reduced cost to the benefit of everyone.
3) My PV is a capital investment in long term power, paid by me privately, thus relieving the utility of need to add generating capacity at huge cost with cost recover through rate increases. Once again, reducing utility costs and more kwh to everyone without additional capital cost and rate increases.
4) This is nearly a ditto of (3). Distributed power means less need for long distance transmission lines, and avoidance of another large capital cost recovery by the utility through rate structure and rate increases. If distributed power is wisely planned, there also should be little need to add short distance transmission capacity which in any event is much less disruptive than long distance transmission lines.
5) Hard to conclude that those installing PV are really benefiting directly. Rather, they are benefiting generally as are other rate payers and the public. They may be receiving a reduction in current charges at the cost of a substantial capital investment and cost recovery which, in my case, is nearly 20 years into the future. And I am bearing the future risk rather than the utility and its rate paying customers. Many including me would conclude that residential PV is really more costly than grid electricity, unless the other non-reimbursed indirect costs of grid electricity are paid to the PV investor. But may main reason for investing in PV was because "it is the right thing to do, something which my utility is not doing."
6) I will package the social and environmental benefits in one bundle. Estimates are that these costs likely are in the range of at least equal to or more than the current charges for electricity. Everyone benefits with clean, safe, power and a healthier environment, reduced illnesses, etc.
PV, like most other innovations, is driven by the wealthy, the early adopters, those that set the future trends. Same with automobile, electronics, and the list goes on forever. In the long term costs drop to the great benefit of everyone; meanwhile some have also benefited hugely. PV is not unusual or an exception in this regard. It is capitalism and free enterprise at work. Let PV compete on a level playing field rather than continuing to give government sponsored and enforced monoply control to large utilities.
Lastly, most utilities are investor owned. Do you doubt for a moment that these investors are profiting at the expense of the poor from the current system?
Most of the ones Ive seen (we use them in hobby applications) are 2.6Ah... sometimes 3.
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