Back to top Jump to featured resources

Viewing all content from John Farrell Page 4 of 73

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

Contact John   |   View all articles by John Farrell

PG-investor-heads-and-cheering-320x213
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Mar 20, 2013

Two Ways Americans May Get More Ownership of their Energy Future

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

Three years ago, the prospects for Americans to own their energy future seemed relatively bleak. There were almost no replicable models for doing community-based energy projects or investment, despite falling costs and technology – solar and wind – that lend themselves to local development. But thanks to recent opportunities in community solar and crowdfunding, we… Continue reading

Cost of 10 Percent Solar for MN
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 2 Comments | Updated on Mar 14, 2013

The Making of a Midwestern Solar Energy Standard

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

Last night, the House Energy Policy Committee in the Minnesota state legislature voted 8-6 to approve a 4% by 2025 solar energy standard, with an innovative new approach to financing solar power.  It’s a powerful first step for what would be one of the more robust policies to support distributed, local solar power in the… Continue reading

SiliconBeat
ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 11, 2013

Walmart’s Solar Strategy

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

Silicon Beat, March 11, 2013 Walmart has about 4,500 stores in the United States (which includes retail stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers). That’s a lot of big, flat roofs: perfect for solar PV. Many stores are 80,000 to 120,000 square feet in size; some are as large as 180,00 square feet.  To date, Walmart… Continue reading

ilsr-logo-blue
Article, ILSR Press Room filed under General | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 11, 2013

Institute for Local Self-Reliance Welcomes New Director of Strategy and Development

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/institute-local-self-reliance-welcomes-director-strategy-development/

WASHINGTON, DC (March 11, 2013) – The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is pleased to announce that Nicola M. Chin (nee Wells) has joined the organization as its new Director of Strategy and Development. Chin will oversee ILSR’s fundraising and strategic planning. “We are delighted to bring Nicola on board,” said ILSR President Neil Seldman…. Continue reading

renewablesinternational
ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 7, 2013

New Podcast Series on Local Energy in the U.S.

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/podcast-series-local-energy-u-s/

Renewables International, March 7, 2013 The Institute for Local-Reliance (ILSR) has begun publishing a series of Local Energy Rules podcasts. Installments will be added twice a month on the first and third Thursday of each month. The third installment shows how community ownership is a great option for Americans – but also how unnecessarily complicated… Continue reading

Photo credit: Dan Brouillette
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 7, 2013

Randy Caviness and Community Wind in Iowa: Episode 4 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/randy-caveniss-community-wind-iowa-episode-4-local-energy-rules-podcast/

This week, John Farrell and Wade Underwood talk community wind power with Randy Caviness, an Iowa farmer and member of Green Energy Farmers.  Working with over 180 investors in the local community, Randy helped build eight utility-scale wind turbines with community ownership, providing clean, local power to municipal and rural electric utilities in southwestern Iowa…. Continue reading

newyorktimesopinionpages
ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 6, 2013

Crowdfunding Clean Energy

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

New York Times, March 6, 2013 If you wanted to get large numbers of people actively engaged in helping to solve global warming, how might you go about it? For years, the main approach in the environmental movement has been to sound the alarm bell and implore people to consume less, switch to green products,… Continue reading

CUB Retail Electricity Suppliers Report Card
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 28, 2013

Three Unequal Options for Local Energy Control

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

If we ignore self-generation, three policies are at the center of increasing local control of energy: deregulation (“customer choice”), municipal aggregation (“city choice”), and municipal utilities (“city ownership”).  Two recent articles highlight the relative value of these policies quite clearly. The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois, a nonprofit ratepayer advocacy organization, just released a… Continue reading

energy2_020412_t700
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 21, 2013

Steve Johnson: Episode 3 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/steve-johnson-episode-3-local-energy-rules-podcast/

In this edition of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell and Wade Underwood speak with Steve Johnson of Convergence Energy about a successful 660 kilowatt community solar project near Delavan, WI.  The project required 33 separate LLCs to take advantage of the state’s net metering rules, and also used the limited-time federal cash grant program to… Continue reading

Minneapolis Energy Options logo
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 19, 2013

How a City Can Get More Clean, Local Energy

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

Like many cities attempting to solve climate change at a local level, Minneapolis is finding the prospect more challenging that it may have imagined. The lion’s share of emissions (two-thirds in the case of Minneapolis) come from electricity and gas sold by two monopoly, corporate utilities. Minnesota’s state-level policy is helping: a renewable energy standard… Continue reading