[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he war of words has intensified in recent days over Citizenre, the new multi-level marketing business that promises to "revolutionize" the way Americans purchase their energy.

[mercurygirl]

Righto. I saw this a while back and had a chuckle to myself. The race is on for who can make the most money off the green movement.

So many attractive benefits! No work involved! All I have to do is keep paying the electric company and these guys!
Ridiculous.

[Chaparral]

Their own shills pretty much descredited them with their responses to reasonable questions over on another energy forum.

If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

[peaker_2005]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Chaparral', 'T')heir own shills pretty much descredited them with their responses to reasonable questions over on another energy forum.

If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

[Chaparral]

[quote="peaker_2005]

...It's a sheep.

Sorry, I just felt the need to screw with somebody's mind.[/quote]

Well, to the uninitiated, it could also be a grebe or a coot

[chuck6877]

I decided to give it a try. I have a system reserved.

It seems to be a smarter way to do SOLAR without the upfront costs.

I think it's the smartest thing I've ever done. I was one of the first 5000 to reserve one. 7000 people have one reserved now. All 7000 of us have paid $0.00 to this company.

I won't get a system on my house until early to mid-2008.

I decided to reserve a system because I won't have to worry about energy cost increases for 25 years. Also I plan on getting a hybrid plug-in, and I can power my hybrid plug-in car with solar electricityat 8 cents per KWH for 25 years.

I think this will insulate me from a lot of the effects of peak oil. (Atleast I'll be able to afford to heat my home!)

Guess how much money I've given them? $0.00

Guess how much I'll give them until they put the panels on my house? $0.00

I can cancel my reservation if I find out it's really a scam and guess how much I lose? $0.00

I'd feel stupid if I didn't do this!

Since I reserved a system before the end of February, I am getting my 2005 electric rate of 8 cents/kwh locked in for 25 years(If you reserve one after February you get 2006 rates locked in). I could have chosen 1 year or 5, but I wanted 25 to protect me from peak oil.

I won't pay a penny until it's on my house, and then I'll just pay them for how much energy it produces and nothing more at a fixed 8 cents per KWH for 25 years.

During the daytime when I'm at work, my meter will run backwards building up KWH credits I can use at night or in the winter.

I don't see how I could lose?

Why won't it work? If you guys can convince me to get out I will.

Here is their site:
www.jointhesolution.com

The video with Ed Begley Jr. on the site explains it all.

Seriously, I think it's a win-win for me and them.......
I just think I'm a smart early adopter and you guys are going to freeze in the winter of 2010 because you're skeptical!!
Chuck

[katkinkate]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he war of words has intensified in recent days over Citizenre, the new multi-level marketing business that promises to "revolutionize" the way Americans purchase their energy.

[chuck6877]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('katkinkate', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TWilliam', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he war of words has intensified in recent days over Citizenre, the new multi-level marketing business that promises to "revolutionize" the way Americans purchase their energy.

[Chaparral]

^ well let us know when you get your system in 2008. You can then bask in the glory and we'll all marvel at your foresight and initiative.

If you DON'T get the system, if the folks involved go belly up or start hitting you up for money on one premise or another, we will be interested in finding out about that as well.

Inquiring minds WILL be paying attention over the next 24 months. We will be watching and waiting silently in the shadows.

Some of us, who tend to analyze the fundamentals and logistics and finances behind the promises will have already taken the plunge, put together the funds and installed our own doggone system because we tend not to spend our lives waiting on other peoples' promises.

Time will tell as to which of us chose the wiser course of action.

[lateStarter]

WTF are you talking about:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')ince I reserved a system before the end of February, I am getting my 2005 electric rate of 8 cents/kwh locked in for 25 years(If you reserve one after February you get 2006 rates locked in). I could have chosen 1 year or 5, but I wanted 25 to protect me from peak oil.

[cynicalheretic]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', 'Q. What does that mean, exceeds the contract?

A. If, at the end of the year, you used more energy than what you contracted for and your system produced for you, then you would need to pay your utility company for the excess energy that you used.

Q. And what rate would I pay for that energy?

A. You would pay your utilities current rates. Sorry, we cannot do anything about their rates… but look at it this way. You will be using a lot less of that polluting power and the energy you rent from us will always be the same guaranteed low rate. No surprises. If you read about rising energy prices, you can smile to yourself knowing that your solar energy costs are locked in for the length of your contract.

Q. But in my first year, I am just paying the same rate that I was paying before, right?

A. Often it is actually less. We base our rates on the yearly average for your utility. So we have to base our rates on the prior year. Since rates tend to go up each year, many customers will save money on their first bill, and this will only increase as the years pass. We provide a calculator on our website that will tell specifically what they will save with their particular utility and their monthly usage. Many customers save over $10,000 just by upgrading to solar. Our whole mission is to help people join the solution and stop being part of the problem.

Q. Please give me an example of what my monthly bill might be…

A. Let's say you contracted for us for your system to produce 12,000 kilowatt hours for the year and your contract rate is 10 cents a kilowatt hour. Your total bill for the year would be $1,200 for the rental of our solar unit. With most utilities, you have some months that are higher and some lower. You never know. It is hard to budget. We have a system called "Even Pay" where you would simply pay us $100 a month every month. Simple.

Q. What happens if I contract for a certain amount of kilowatt hours and then my kids go off to school or we want to travel 3 months a year?

A. Your system is remotely monitored automatically every day. If your solar engineer notices that your usage has dropped, they will contact you to see if this is a permanent situation or just a short-term fluctuation. If this will be a permanent decrease in your energy usage, they will come out and remove the proper number of panels and readjust your contract.')



Honestly sounds like a crock of shit to me. Also sounds a little to big brotherish.

Why the hell am I still paying city utilities any money what so ever for electricity if I am taking care of my house with solar. WHY!!!!

I wouldn't trust these fuckers any further than I could thow them.

[chuck6877]

It's simple.

Citizenre in my case will put a 7.6 KWp DC system on my house. The insurance replacement value for this is about $33,000 because they assume $4.37/Wp.

First of all Citizenre will make the system at a much cheaper cost because they will have economies of scale with the largest solar plant in the world, they do their own installation, and all parts are designed for each other. They also save money on the service end.

Second, and most important for Citizenre to lower their overall cost is the many tax deductions, quick depreciation rules, and exemptions that help drive down their costs, which I will show in the next post.

Citizenre's only costs are the building and installing of the Solar unit. The energy they produce costs them NOTHING, yet this is what they charge people renting their units.

In my case I will pay 8.5 cents per Kwh, which is my 2005 rate for electricity. (People are locking in their 2005 rates until the end of February, because they always charge the average of the previous year. 2006 will not be figured out until March 1st) I will pay 8.5 cents for every Kwh produced. That is my rent.

Because of net-metering the 7.7 KWp DC panels will provide all of the 1080 Kwh of electricity I need every year.

I will pay on average $72/month for 25 years. So even in 2030 I'll still be paying $72/month! They make their money..... and I get my rate locked in.

The panels are designed to provide power to the home during the daytime as well even if the power grid dies.

I'm so glad I found this company. I feel like I've somewhat saved myself from rate increase worries from peak oil.

I think you should all do it personally. What do you have to lose?

I can't find anything wrong with their plan to offer solar in a different way. They make their money and I save mine and save myself a little bit from peak oil.

Chuck

[chuck6877]

I'm about number 4800 on the waiting list.
The waiting list in the last 2 weeks has gone from 4800 to 7000.

They're only going to be able to do 20,000 homes by the end of 2008.

So if you wait too long to do this you'll be waiting years not months.
If I were you guys I'd reserve one and if you change your mind or find out it's a scam don't have them put it on your house and you'll lose nothing!

This company has secured $650 million in debt financing for this. They showed their plan to several major banks and the banks said their business model looked good.

Their plant will be built in Texas.

Here are some of the tax incentives I believe that Citizenre will receive which is the major reason they can do this:

---Since Citizenre is still the owner of the Solar units and merely rents them, they get a 30% tax CREDIT from the energy units which manufacturer's alone don't receive. This is the major cost saver.

---Citizenre will be able to take the Modified Accelerated Cost-Recovery System (MACRS) deduction because they are develping Solar Power Units.

---Citizenre will receive USDA Renewable Energy Systems Grants

Texas incentives for where their plant will be built:

---Solar Energy Device Franchise Tax Exemption which is Texas' equivalent of a Corporate Tax. So they will pay NO state corporate taxes.

I'm sure there are a lot more, but these incentives and tax exemptions, accelerated depreciation deductions, and other deductions are what really help bring the cost down.

It's a win-win for them and ME I can't wait to get mine....

Until then, I'll pay $0.00

Peak Oil. Peak schmoil. I'll have low energy costs for 25 years. I'll also power my hybrid plug-in one day with this and I'll be laughing at the world because I'm saving so much money!!

Chuck

[zoidberg]

To be clear, I'm in Canada and in no way associated with Citizenre.

I want to point out to the person thinking still having to pay the utility money for energy purchased from them in excess of what the solar panels generate is a scam, citizenre is very clear about that and requiring in the contract to have a utility connection as well as a dedicated phone line for the system. The system is meant as a complement to the utility, not a replacement.

Also theres some concerns about where they're sourcing their solar panels, does anyone know if they are planning to build all of them themselves, or to outsource as necessary?

[cynicalheretic]

I thought this was a site full of people who didn't want a big brother leaning over their shoulders. Don't trust this company. Your going to regret it.

[zoidberg]

The dedicated phone line is an absolute must though - I mean how can they charge for the electricity generated if they dont know how much electricity is generated?

Its easy to understand the big brother fears, but if their business model is to work, it needs some communication.

I take it your not on the waiting list

[cynicalheretic]

Not a chance in hell. Btw what difference does it make how much electricity I am generating? If they want to make their money just average by electrical use over the last two years, divide by 24 and charge that to me a month. It's not like if I go 2 mW over that it will actually hurt their bottom line.


Also why do I have to make the difference up to my local utilities.

The whole thing sounds a little too fucking retarded to me. I will get my electricity the old fashion way "burning puppies"

[chuck6877]

Zoidberg,

In their most recent technical Q&A with customers, they said they're concerned that their plant will not be spitting the panels out for people's houses till next January.

Because they already have over 8000 people on the waiting list for the panels, they're considering using an old warehouse and putting the solar equipment in it.

They want to make all of the panels themselves though...

Citizenre doesn't make a dollar until they put the panels on people's homes so they have incentive to get the panels built.

To those skeptical that people will be locked in for their 2005 rates, my Forward Rental Agreement has it in writing.

Prior to the end of February you can lock in 2005 rates. Starting March 1st people will have their 2006 electrical rates locked in. The deadline approaches...
www.jointhesolution.com
watch the video and read the FAQ

Chuck

[cynicalheretic]

This feels like spam. That link should not be allowed on the forum.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('cynicalheretic', 'T')his feels like spam.