Read more in Expect Delays: Reviewing Ontario’s “Buy Local” Renewable Energy Program Continue reading
Courtesy of Craig Morris and the Germany Renewable Energy industry, evidence that Germany’s renewable energy program remains people powered. Total megawatts represent wind and solar only. Continue reading
A conference committee is resolving differences between House and (much weaker) Senate versions of a solar energy standard in Minnesota today. Here’s 8 graphic reasons why the state should go for solar as aggressively as it can. 8 Vivid Charts – 8 Reasons for a Solar Energy Standard in Minnesota from John Farrell Continue reading
Last week’s graphic on the impact of local permitting on the cost of solar power was a big hit, so here’s a follow up on “soft costs,” the expenses in a solar installation (including permitting) that are not the solar module. The chart compares the soft costs in the U.S. to Germany (thanks to LBNL’s… Continue reading
Some Minnesota legislators are getting a little weak-kneed listening to utility lobbyists make hugely ironic claims about the cost of the proposed solar standard and thinking about how much solar this is. Time for some context. The originally proposed 10% solar energy standard might have been ambitious by national standards, but the current 4% by… Continue reading
It’s parochial, since I’m a Minnesota resident, but I just can’t stand that our state’s largest utility, Xcel Energy, is planning to use ratepayer money to buy three new natural gas fired peaking plants instead of a) installing solar power or b) supporting the proposed solar energy standard. Share the graphic below if you agree:… Continue reading
ILSR is following HB 282, restrictive legislation moving through the Georgia General Assembly. The bill would effectively end the ability for existing networks to expand. Communities considering investing in their own telecommunications networks would face almost insurmountable financial and practical hurdles. As the bill is heavily lobbied by incumbent telecom giants, local leaders make the… Continue reading
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance has released a new interactive map showcasing 342 community owned networks throughout the United States that serve local businesses and residents. The Community Internet Map is available at MuniNetworks.org/communitymap/ Continue reading
Within a decade, 300,000 megawatts of unsubsidized local solar power could compete with utility electricity prices in almost every state, enough clean energy to produce 10% of U.S. electricity. Grid parity is building like a relentless wave, but how much solar is at parity today? In 2016? In 2020? On homes or businesses? With incentives… Continue reading
Last update: June 3, 2013 Amazon currently collects sales tax in nine states, which contain more than one-third of the U.S. population. These states are shown in dark blue and dark green. In the dark green states, Amazon has a physical presence, such as a warehouse, and thereby has sufficient “nexus” for the state to… Continue reading
Walmart now captures $1 of every $4 Americans spend on groceries. It’s on track to claim one-third of food sales within five years. Here’s a look at how Walmart has dramatically altered the food system — triggering massive consolidation, driving down prices to farmers, and leaving more families struggling to afford healthy food. Continue reading
Although they control only 21% of U.S. bank assets, small and mid-sized banks provide 54% of small business loans. Continue reading
As a share of their total assets, small business lending at the nation’s largest banks fell by 33% in three years. Continue reading
Big dreams for renewable energy often goad people into imagining big solar projects, with acres of panels. But lots of smaller projects are just as likely to add up to big numbers. Counting solar projects from California and New Jersey (which together make up half the U.S. solar market), the average size of an American… Continue reading
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