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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 3, 2012

Comparing Residential Solar Ownership to a Solar Lease

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

It’s a case study of solar in Ithaca, NY, but it provides a good framework for comparing leasing to ownership in any place in the U.S. Solar Economics in Ithaca, NY Comparing solar ownership to a solar lease can be tricky.  The following analysis examines the value of owning a 5 kW solar PV system… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Apr 11, 2012

Net Metering a Cost to Utilities, or a Benefit?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/net-metering-cost-utilities-benefit-2/

Utilities often claim that allowing customers to run their meter backward (by generating electricity on-site, e.g. from rooftop solar) can affect their bottom line because these customers don’t pay enough to cover the cost of maintaining the grid.  In at least one case, however, a utility’s cost-benefit analysis of net metering was turned on its… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 1, 2005

Watching minutes, ignoring hours

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/watching-minutes-ignoring-hours/

Watching minutes, ignoring hours by David Morris Originally published in Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 1, 2005 A few years ago the following tongue-in-cheek economics lesson made the rounds of mainstream news journals: Bill Gates would lose money if, on his way to work, he stopped to pick up a $100 bill. Why? Over his business… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jul 30, 1996

Recycling and the New York Times

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/recycling-and-the-new-york-times-2/

Recycling and the New York Times by David Morris July 30, 1996 “Recycling may be the most wasteful activity in modern America…” Thus wrote John Tierney, a staff writer for the New York Times in a recent Sunday magazine cover story. The article generated more mail than any piece the magazine has ever published and… Continue reading

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Resource filed under Energy | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Apr 17, 1978

Planning for Energy Self-Reliance: A Case Study of the District of Columbia

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/planning-energy-selfreliance-case-study-district-columbia/

Thiswas the first study to track the flow of energy-related dollars through an urban economy and the impact on this flow from an aggressive energy efficiency and solar energy initiative.  The study concluded that 85 cents of every energy dollar left the city, a far higher leakage than from any other household expenditure. The study also estimated the rooftop space available in DC for solar and the economic impact of energy efficiency. Continue reading