Reasons to see red over green energy

In the article below, Ashley Seager from the Guardian argues that the government is doing little to encourage the take-up and adoption of alternative forms of energy generation for households. Indeed he argues hat the situation has got worse and not better in recent months with changes in the system. Only 270 houses were helped with the fitting of photovoltaic systems last year. In Germany the equivalent figure was 130,000.

Reasons to see red over green energy Guardian (18/2/08)

Questions

1. Assess the external costs and external benefits resulting from installing a photovoltaic electricity generation system on a house.
2. Using diagrams as appropriate, show how the installation of photovoltaic cells on houses will alter the socially optimal market equilibrium.
3. Evaluate two policies that the government could use to encourage the more widespread adoption of alternative methods of generating power.