Solar Energy Is Practical for Homes

* Re “State’s Energy Problem Has Roots Nationwide,” Commentary, Jan. 3: I question the argument made by Bertram Wolfe and Chauncey Starr that solar power is impractical on a large scale because of the immense land use. It may be impractical for major corporations to use as a vehicle for profits, but it is not impractical to use in individual situations, and no more land will be used.

If every roof in Southern California was covered with photovoltaic cells, there would not be an electrical energy problem. And a renewable source of energy such as the sun will have to be turned to at some point in our civilization, as all nonrenewable sources will eventually be used up.

LAWRENCE TURNER

Glendora

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If it’s really true that California’s demand for electricity has outstripped supply, here’s a simple suggestion to start getting to the root of the problem: Institute an immediate and total statewide moratorium on the connection of new electric meters for housing tracts, apartments, high-rise office buildings, commercial buildings, factories, billboards--everything. There is precedent. During the last drought, just such a moratorium was imposed on water meter hookups along the Central Coast.

Seems to me that if we bring the state’s powerful and influential building/development/real-estate industry to a screeching halt, the electricity crisis will be recognized as the economic catastrophe that it really is, and our state government leaders might recognize the urgency of the need to come up with solutions a bit more creative than increasing everyone’s electric bills.

JON ROWE

Costa Mesa