Citizen Ownership Remains Foundation of German Renewable Energy Explosion

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

I’ve been posting updates on local ownership of renewable energy in Germany since early 2011, and it’s abundantly clear that the Germans have yet to back down from their commitment to democratic, locally owned power. The following chart continues the series.  For explanation, click the previous link, but know that traditional electric utilities are contained within … Read More

A Little Tapped City Strategy for Boosting Local Renewable Energy

Date: 5 May 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Many cities served by private utilities think they have little capacity to encourage local renewable energy development. But a largely untapped tool – utility franchise contracts – may hold the key.… Read More

Report: Expect Delays – Reviewing Ontario’s “Buy Local” Renewable Energy Program

Date: 20 May 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Launched in 2009, Ontario’s “buy local” Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program promised to deliver hundreds of megawatts of new renewable energy and create 50,000 new jobs by the end of 2012. The program has had some notable achievements, and the province has worked hard to remedy some of the remaining roadblocks to success. The bottom line is … Read More

Expect Delays: a Presentation Reviewing Ontario’s “Buy Local” Renewable Energy Program

Date: 20 May 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Ontario’s landmark “buy local” renewable energy Feed-In Tariff program launched in late 2009.  After four years, the program has created thousands of jobs, helped close coal-fired power plants and made energy producers of many Ontarians.  But roadblocks remain, and changes are needed.  The following presentation outlines the program, its goals and accomplishments, and the barriers to … Read More

Half of Germany’s 63,000 Megawatts of Renewable Energy is Locally Owned

Date: 15 May 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 4 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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.

Los Angeles Utility Goes for Local Solar with 100 MW Feed-In Tariff

Date: 3 Apr 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Officially launched in January after years of development, a new CLEAN (feed-in tariff) program from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (the city’s municipal electric utility) promises 100 MW of new local renewable energy by 2016.  In absolute size, the program will be among the largest CLEAN programs in the U.S., but compared to the … Read More

A Local Solar Energy Standard for Minnesota

Date: 15 Feb 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The following presentation outlines a 10% solar energy standard to be considered by the Minnesota legislature in early 2013. It would require utilities to supply 10% of their energy sales from solar electricity – largely local, distributed solar.  It provides long-term, standard contracts to solar projects with a value of solar production-based price and a production … Read More

Germany Has More Solar Power Because Everyone Wins

Date: 8 Feb 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 7 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Suddenly everyone knows about Germany’s solar power dominance because Fox Newsheads made an ass of themselves, suggesting that the country is a sunny, tropical paradise.  Most media folks have figured out that there are some monster differences in policy (e.g. a feed-in tariff), but then latch on to the “Germans pay a lot extra” meme.  Germans … Read More

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