Lifting State Limits on Local Power

Date: 2 Dec 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In the first half of 2014, distributed local solar power constituted over 25% of new power plant capacity. This impressive growth continues several years where solar power has grown by leaps and bounds, producing power right where it’s needed and juicing up local economies. But many states have limited how much of their electricity can come … Read More

Is Per Capita Electricity Use Permanently Flat in the U.S.?

Date: 25 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 2 Facebooktwitterredditmail

While local renewable energy and energy efficiency are both proving to be near-existential threats to electric utilities in the early 21st century, the trends aren’t the same. The rapid rise of renewable energy gets the headlines, and it’s big news. Total renewable energy capacity has grown 10-fold since 2003 and in certain parts of the country, … Read More

A 2-Year City Workplan for Energy Democracy

Date: 21 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The first-in-the-nation city-utility partnership has been framed in Minneapolis, but can the city and its utilities really deliver substantive movement toward an equitable energy economy in the next two years?

It all depends on the workplan, and the grassroots team at Minneapolis Energy Options has delivered.… Read More

The History and Hope for a First-in-the-Nation City-Utility Clean Energy Partnership

Date: 17 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In the past month, the city of Minneapolis and its two investor-owned utilities adopted the nation’s first clean energy partnership, with a wide range of goals including meeting the city’s ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. How did it happen and what can it accomplish? The following 8-minute video from one of the “lead rabble rousers” … Read More

Support Democratic Energy – Give to the Max!

Date: 12 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Contributions Are Matched Up To $25,000! If you’re reading this, you are probably a big supporter of a democratic energy future.  We appreciate it! Click and Contribute Today! We’ve been grateful to be at the center of the struggle for a new community-centered energy economy, illuminating a path forward by widely sharing this vision, performing in-depth … Read More

Are Utilities or States the Leaders in Renewable Energy and Efficiency?

Date: 7 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A June 2014 study by Ceres highlighted the top electric utilities for renewable energy and efficiency. In an article discussing the findings, Utility Dive suggested that there are “wide disparities […] in the extent to which electric utilities currently deliver renewable energy and energy efficiency.” To find the source of these disparities, look no further than … Read More

Why Haven’t Cities Covered Their Buildings in Solar?

Date: 31 Oct 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The city of Beaverton, OR, is getting a new solar array that will offset energy use at an underground reservoir, saving taxpayers $95,000 per year, with no upfront cost. Ventura County, CA, has a 1-megawatt solar array on its jail facility, that’s cash flow positive. Denver, CO, has nearly 4 megawatts of solar, with power sold … Read More

We Have “Value for Solar,” but Should We Use It?

Date: 21 Oct 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 6 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Earlier this year, Minnesota became the first state to formalize dozens of studies by adopting a “value of solar” formula that would fundamentally change the relationship between solar energy producers and their utility. It’s designed to have the utility accurately compensate solar energy producers for the value of solar electricity to the utility, its customers, and … Read More

2 Charts Show Solar’s Jump to Top Spot for New U.S. Power Generation

Date: 16 Oct 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Want proof that distributed solar is rapidly growing?  Look no further than these two charts, showing how solar provided over a quarter of new power plant capacity in 2013 (6% from residential solar alone!) and 43% in the first half of this year! This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell on Twitter … Read More

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