In March 2009, Sonoma County became the first county in California to pursue public financing of distributed solar energy and energy efficiency improvements under AB 811 Continue reading
In one of the more brazen attempts by a corporation to disguise itself as a locally owned business, Starbucks is un-branding at least three of it Seattle outlets. Continue reading
A reliance on tax-based incentives for renewable energy industry has led to boom-and-bust cycles for years, the Atlantic explains. The New Rules Project has several suggestions for solving this system of Byzantine incentives. Continue reading
Although not as comprehensive as a feed-in tariff, Washington State provides incentive payments for solar PV systems made in-state and now, for systems that are community owned on local government property. Continue reading
In the last 12 months a new and very promising strategy for local energy self-reliance has emerged, and it spreading like a prairie fire: direct public financing of energy efficiency and renewable energy investments by private businesses and households. ILSR has been closely tracking these developments and has brought together information about individual programs and the laws and ordinances that have enabled them (view our Map and see the various Municipal Energy Financing rules).
The Department of Justice has begun an initial review to determine whether large U.S. telecom companies such as AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. have abused the market power they’ve amassed in recent years, according to people familiar with the matter.
HSBC, one of the biggest banks on the planet, has taken to calling itself "the world’s local bank." Starbucks is un-branding at least three of its Seattle outlets, the first of which just reopened as "15th Avenue Coffee and Tea." The International Council of Shopping Centers is pouring millions of dollars into television ads urging people to "Shop Local" — at their nearest mall.
Hoping to capitalize on growing public enthusiasm for all things local, some of the world’s biggest corporations are brashly laying claim to the word “local.” Continue reading
A strong and smart grid can be developed with distributed renewable energy, without need for new high-voltage transmission. This 6-minute video explains how. Continue reading
Consider: Which of these sectors is the one really doing a number on society? At the birth of the American republic, the word “private” had a sinister connotation. Derived from the Latin privare, meaning to reduce or tear apart, it described behavior often contrary to the public interest. In the late 18th century, a pirate was called a privateer. Today “private” has become a positive, even boosterish word, while “public” carries a shady undertone. “Private sector” has become synonymous with efficiency and innovation, while “public sector” connotes bloat and unresponsiveness, even corruption. Continue reading
On May 4th, 2009, Governors from 10 East Coast states sent a sign-on letter opposing the current House & Senate bills to expedite transmission line planning and siting. The states that signed onwere Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. Theletter argued against a greater federal subsidy for long-distance transmission, stating that the focus should be on more local renewable generation, such as off-shore wind along the East Coast.
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