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Article, Resource filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 9, 2012

Community Broadband and Economic Development Presentation – Dallas 2012

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

Christopher Mitchell recently presented at the Broadband Communities Summit 12 in Dallas, Texas. The two-day event, April 24th and 25th, brought together experts from all over the world to discuss the policy and economic challenges and achievements in broadband. Christopher discussed the new ILSR Report, Broadband at the Speed of Light, and presented information on… Continue reading

Number of Small Firms per 1,000 People, By State
Featured Article filed under Independent Business | Written by Stacy Mitchell | 6 Comments | Updated on May 9, 2012

Are Lightly Regulated States Really More Friendly to Small Businesses?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/lightly-regulated-states-friendly-small-businesses/

A new ranking of states based on “small business friendliness” gives low scores to those with more stringent environmental, labor, health & safety, and other regulations. The trouble with this analysis, however, is that many of the supposedly “unfriendly” states are actually home to much larger numbers of small businesses than the “friendly” states. Continue reading

hoover dam
Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on May 9, 2012

Romney, Hoover, Eisenhower and that Pipeline

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/romney-hoover-eisenhower-pipeline-2/

After winning the Illinois primary, Mitt Romney delivered a victory speech in which he deplored America’s lost “can do spirit”.  Unsurprisingly, he blamed it on government.  If elected he promised, “We’re going to get government out of the way”.   Then he offered a few examples of what he meant.  “We once built the interstate highway… Continue reading

3rd_Party_PPA_map
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 2 Comments | Updated on May 9, 2012

Map of State 3rd Party PPA Rules

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/map-state-3rd-party-ppa-rules/

In lieu of smarter policy, schools, libraries, and city buildings hoping to install solar power have to resort to complex public-private partnerships to access federal tax incentives.  One common strategy is the power purchase agreement (PPA). In essence, a PPA allows the public building owner to buy solar electricity on contract from a third party… Continue reading

Solar parking lot canopy
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 8, 2012

Overturning the ’15% Rule’ Expands the Distributed Generation Opportunity in California

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/overturning-15-rule-expands-distributed-generation-opportunity-california/

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a “rule” that precludes distributed renewable energy projects from supplying more than 15% of the power to most “distribution circuits” (part of the low-voltage electric grid that brings power into homes and businesses).  With the rapidly falling cost of solar power, many places in the country are starting to… Continue reading

good-bye-to-seattles-free-wi-fi
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 8, 2012

Good-Bye to Seattle’s Free Wi-Fi

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/good-bye-seattles-free-wi-fi

In 2005, Seattle started offering free Wi-Fi to several neighborhoods, hoping to increase usage among businesses, residents, and passers-by. While the effort was hailed by some, and criticized by others, it was an experiment in community broadband. An experiment that ended on April 29th. The City still considered the free Wi-Fi a pilot project, even… Continue reading

spirit-aerosystems-chooses-chanute
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 7, 2012

Spirit AeroSystems Chooses Chanute

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/spirit-aerosystems-chooses-chanute

We told you how Chanute, Kansas, was using their community network to serve local businesses. Now we want to share a story about how the community network helped bring a new business to Chanute. Chanute, who is named after Octave Chanute an aviation pioneer, adopts the motto “A Tadition of Innovation.” Chanute has proven that… Continue reading

exciting-upcoming-broadband-conferences-in-dc
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 7, 2012

Exciting Upcoming Broadband Conferences in DC

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/exciting-upcoming-broadband-conferences-dc

Our own Christopher Mitchell will be speaking at two upcoming events on broadband and the future of the Internet. First, Christopher will be at F2C: Freedom to Connect in Washington, D.C., on May 21-22nd. Christopher will be speaking on May 22nd on the “Fight for Community Broadband” Panel along with other notables from the Free… Continue reading

10000-square-miles-of-connections-in-north-dakota
Article filed under Broadband | Written by Lisa Gonzalez | No Comments | Updated on May 4, 2012

10,000 Square Miles of Connections in North Dakota

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/10000-square-miles-connections-north-dakota

According to the 2010 Census, North Dakota is 48th in population in the country and the 17th most expansive. Such a geography is not appealing to any entity, commercial or otherwise, who might consider building fiber-to-the-home in North Dakota. There are more populated cities, as in all states, but human density in North Dakota is… Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 7 Comments | Updated on May 4, 2012

Who Has the Most Cost-Effective Solar Feed-in Tariff?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/cost-effective-solar-feed-in-tariff/

In a forthcoming report on U.S. feed-in tariff programs, I’ll provide a comparison of solar feed-in tariff (FIT, a.k.a. CLEAN Contract) rates across the United States. Comparing published rates is not particularly helpful, however, because contract lengths vary (from 15 to 25 years) and the solar resource also varies widely.  For international comparisons (e.g. Germany), it’s… Continue reading