ABSTRACT
The benefits of some forms of national solar regulation require an effective national political presence. Obviously, local political organizing is a necessary and logical complement to national political effort. To accelerate the transition to increased exploitation of solar power, effective national political action must be coordinated with on–going and widely varying local promotional activity. Although decentralized promotion and use of solar technology may well be the most appropriate strategy in the solar transition, national-level political action is crucial to protect the capacity for a transition to greater reliance on solar energy. Serious political weaknesses have plagued attempts to promote a national solar energy policy. The implicit and secondary objectives of proposed solar legislation may be more decisive in securing congressional passage than the primary objectives. Solar advocates must make their gains within Congress and within the federal bureaucracy itself, perhaps in direct opposition to the wishes of the President.
