This is Dr Saul Griffith entrepreneur and inventor at Otherlab, addressing impediments to putting solar on rooftops in the United States.

Eventually, it will be ridiculous to people not to put solar on their roofs. And any bylaws or other impediments will either be argued away at town meetings, or will be circumvented by technology.

For example, take Town of Westwood, Massachusetts, they have a number of bylaws which directly or indirectly restrict placement of ground mounted solar. Do they extend to self-powered and self-sufficient, not connected car ports which essentially sit in a spot? If these are placed beyond the setbacks and observe height limits, what are the possible restrictions? Suppose the power units are connected to the home using some means other than trenched wires, like magnetic coupling?

Do the bylaws restrict wind turbines placed on flag poles?

These are dark corners which are very tempting for those with the interest and the means to challenge in court, and with lots of publicity.

Dr Griffiths:

I think our failure on fixing climate change is just a rhetorical failure of imagination.

We haven’t been able to convince ourselves that it’s going to be great.

It’s going to be great.