Over the last three years, I have received roughly one call each week from a company that wants to provide me with a free estimate for the installation of solar power. The caller tells me in a heavily accented voice that because of programs run by both the state and the federal government, I can install solar power with no up front cost.
Let me stop here. Normally the accent of the caller is so thick that I cannot understand what he is saying on the first try. For a while, I thought this was another of those scams where the caller tells you that he is calling from Windows Services because your computer is sending in messages that it has been taken over by viruses. I'm sure you have all gotten that call. I've learned, however, that the solar energy calls are real and not pure frauds unlike the others.
Now my home is surrounded by tall trees and has no possible location for the installation of solar panels, and I've told the caller this on multiple occasions. It doesn't stop the calls, though. I still get the calls and the words read by the caller to me are still the same. My response has changed, however. At first, I explained why I was not a good candidate for solar power. Then I changed to asking them not to call anymore. Now, I'm at the point where I just hang up.
The reality is that the state and federal government support this program which, at least for me, is harassment by telephone. Your tax dollars at work!
I often wonder if anyone bought the solar installations. Today, I happened across an article describing how successful the program has become. After years of efforts, there are now 7000 homeowners with solar installations in Connecticut. That's 7000 out of 1.1 million electricity customers. Only the media could call that a success story.
Don't misunderstand me. I think that solar power in the right places makes a lot of sense. But solar power in heavily forested and often cloudy Connecticut? There has to be a better idea.
Let me stop here. Normally the accent of the caller is so thick that I cannot understand what he is saying on the first try. For a while, I thought this was another of those scams where the caller tells you that he is calling from Windows Services because your computer is sending in messages that it has been taken over by viruses. I'm sure you have all gotten that call. I've learned, however, that the solar energy calls are real and not pure frauds unlike the others.
Now my home is surrounded by tall trees and has no possible location for the installation of solar panels, and I've told the caller this on multiple occasions. It doesn't stop the calls, though. I still get the calls and the words read by the caller to me are still the same. My response has changed, however. At first, I explained why I was not a good candidate for solar power. Then I changed to asking them not to call anymore. Now, I'm at the point where I just hang up.
The reality is that the state and federal government support this program which, at least for me, is harassment by telephone. Your tax dollars at work!
I often wonder if anyone bought the solar installations. Today, I happened across an article describing how successful the program has become. After years of efforts, there are now 7000 homeowners with solar installations in Connecticut. That's 7000 out of 1.1 million electricity customers. Only the media could call that a success story.
Don't misunderstand me. I think that solar power in the right places makes a lot of sense. But solar power in heavily forested and often cloudy Connecticut? There has to be a better idea.
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