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About John Farrell

John Farrell directs the Energy Self-Reliant States and Communities program at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and he focuses on energy policy developments that best expand the benefits of local ownership and dispersed generation of renewable energy. More

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Rooftop Revolution cover graphic
Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 21, 2012

New Report: Rooftop Revolution Changes Everything with Cost-Effective Local Solar

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/new-repor-rooftop-revolution-changes-everything-with-cost-effective-local-solar/

Within ten years, 100 million Americans in the nation’s largest cities will be able to get cheaper electricity from rooftop solar than their utility provides. That’s just the opening salvo from a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “Rooftop Revolution: Changing Everything with Cost-Effective Solar,” not only illustrates the enormous, emerging potential for local solar power, but also describes how the rules of the electricity system must change now for the electricity system to be ready for the decade’s energy democracy opportunity. Continue reading

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ILSR Press Room filed under General | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 19, 2012

Vermont’s Solar Deal: One Small State Makes a Big Solar Impact

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/vermonts-solar-deal-one-small-state-makes-a-big-solar-impact/

Renewable Energy World, March 19, 2012 Vermont legislators enacted a groundbreaking bill that streamlines the installation process for small-scale solar – including the elimination of time-consuming and expensive permitting. So, how much does the bill actually reduce the cost of solar?   Estimating the true cost of a residential system can be difficult to pin down…. Continue reading

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ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 14, 2012

Rooftop revolution: How to get solar to 100 million Americans

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/21316/

Grist, March 14, 2012 Get a load of this:  Nearly 100 million Americans could install over 60,000 megawatts of solar at less than grid prices – without subsidies – by 2021.  That’s from a new report by John Farrell at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance called “Rooftop Revolution: Changing Everything with Cost-Effective Local Solar.”   It’s… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 13, 2012

Minnesota Electricity Could Be 100% Renewable, 100% Local

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/minnesota-electricity-100-renewable-100-local/

A new report released today by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research shows that Minnesota can meet 100% of its electricity needs with in-state wind and solar power, and (with ample energy efficiency investments) at a comparable cost to its existing electricity supply. The notion that solar and wind energy cannot be the mainstay… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 3 Comments | Updated on Mar 12, 2012

Why “Passive Activities” May Be Clean Energy’s Biggest Hurdle

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/passive-activities-clean-energys-biggest-hurdle/

If you care about the future of the American renewable energy industry, you need to learn what the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calls “passive activities.”  Because these important rules mean that as long as the U.S. relies on the tax code to provide renewable energy incentives, renewable energy can only grow as fast as Wall… Continue reading

Turbines On The Ridge
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Mar 8, 2012

Refundable Federal Tax Credit Could Remove Barrier to Community Wind

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/refundable-federal-tax-credit-remove-barrier-community-wind/

Update 3/9/12:Turns out I would be a lousy tax attorney and that the form of tax credit does not affect the passive loss rules. What if a small change in federal renewable energy policy could make community wind development easier? Last month, President Obama’s Treasury Department released proposed reforms to a number of business taxes… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 1, 2012

Building Codes: Energy Rules that Work

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/building-codes-energy-rules-work/

Update 4/6/12: The increased cost of a home built to the 2012 code in Illinois will increase the home’s cost by $1500 (~$6 a month) but save $33 per month in energy costs. In energy policy, lawmakers often prefer carrots to sticks because it minimizes the opposition.  But mandatory rules, like building energy codes, can… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 27, 2012

Get a Local Clean Energy Future by Trading-in the 20th Century Electric Grid

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/local-clean-energy-future-trading-in-20th-century-electric-grid/

In a New York Times SundayReview piece last week – Drawing the Line at Power Lines – Elisabeth Rosenthal suggested that our desire for clean energy will require significant tradeoffs: There are pipelines, trains, trucks and high-voltage transmission lines. None of them are pretty, and all have environmental drawbacks. But if you want to drive… Continue reading

Cost of Distributed Solar versus Centralized Solar Power
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 24, 2012

Distributed Generation Hits Sweet Spot in Cost v. Transmission

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/distributed-generation-hits-sweet-spot-in-cost-v-transmission/

Update 3/27/12: added clarification to text and chart that prices include federal tax incentives If the cost of electricity were the only factor in energy discussions, we’d probably have a lot more coal and a lot less renewable energy.  But the truth is that renewable energy can compete on cost and distributed renewable energy has… Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 23, 2012

German Policy Could Make Solar in America “Wunderbar”

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/german-policy-solar-america-wunderbar/

This post was originally titled Residential Solar for $2.24 per Watt in Germany? The Germans are debating significant revisions to their landmark renewable energy policy, and instead of declaring the death of the German solar market, Americans should focus on why solar still costs so much on this side of the Atlantic. After a significant… Continue reading