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Featured Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 20 Comments | Updated on Jul 10, 2012

Why We Pay Double for Solar in America (But Won’t Forever)

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/why-pay-double-solar-america/

Update 12/21/12: Corrected chart.  Overhead and Sales Tax had been switched in the German data column. I often get flak when I publish research on the cost trajectory for solar (e.g. my Rooftop Revolution report estimates 100 million Americans reaching grid parity by 2021).  About half think I’m too conservative, and half think I’m too… Continue reading

Solar Shifts Peak Demand for the Electric Grid
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 1 Comment | Updated on Jun 27, 2012

Four Charts Provide Distributed Solar Lessons from California

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/charts-provide-distributed-solar-lessons-california/

A new study for the California Public Utilities Commission explores the “Technical Potential for Local Distributed Photovoltaics in California.”  Basically, it’s one of the more in-depth analyses of local solar power in the country, suggesting that California has the capacity to add 15 gigawatts (GW) of local solar (20 megawatts and smaller) to its grid… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 4 Comments | Updated on Jun 14, 2012

Phase-Out of the Federal Wind Tax Credit a Good Thing?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/phase-out-federal-wind-tax-credit-good-thing/

Energy and Environment News has a very long story on a new angle for the federal wind tax credit debate: a phaseout. This article raises several issues, apart from that policy strategy, that are worth a quick discussion. 1. Why Would Wind Compete with Natural Gas? The article waxes long about the trials of the… Continue reading

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 14 Comments | Updated on Jun 11, 2012

U.S. CLEAN Programs: Where Are We Now? What Have We Learned?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/u-s-clean-programs-now-learned/

This report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance identifies all of the existing CLEAN (Clean Local Energy Accessible Now) programs in the United States (also known as feed-in tariffs) and examines the lessons learned from the early adopters. Download the report [pdf] Read on the Kindle, Nook, or Apple iBooks Executive Summary CLEAN programs (Clean… 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

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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 Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 23, 2012

Ontario Feed-in Tariff Prices Drop, Germans Still Far Cheaper

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ontario-feed-in-tariff-prices-drop-germans-cheaper/

Ontario just completed a revision of their landmark feed-in tariff program and rates for renewable electricity generation and prices fell sharply: 30% for solar and 15% for wind power. This continues a trend of falling costs for renewable energy around the world. As a bit of background, Ontario’s feed-in tariff gives wind and solar producers… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Mar 23, 2012

Solar Policy Can Advance (or Delay) Grid Parity by a Decade

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/solar-policy-can-advance-or-delay-grid-parity-by-a-decade/

In their excellent interactive graphic, Bloomberg Energy Finance calls solar grid parity (when electricity from solar costs less than grid power) the “golden goal.”  It’s an excellent illustration of how the right energy policy can help a nation go gold on solar or wallow in metallurgical obscurity.  In the case of the U.S., it may… Continue reading

Cost of Distributed Solar versus Centralized Solar Power
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 24, 2012

Distributed Generation Hits Sweet Spot in Cost v. Transmission

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/distributed-generation-hits-sweet-spot-in-cost-v-transmission/

Update 3/27/12: added clarification to text and chart that prices include federal tax incentives If the cost of electricity were the only factor in energy discussions, we’d probably have a lot more coal and a lot less renewable energy.  But the truth is that renewable energy can compete on cost and distributed renewable energy has… Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Feb 23, 2012

German Policy Could Make Solar in America “Wunderbar”

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/german-policy-solar-america-wunderbar/

This post was originally titled Residential Solar for $2.24 per Watt in Germany? The Germans are debating significant revisions to their landmark renewable energy policy, and instead of declaring the death of the German solar market, Americans should focus on why solar still costs so much on this side of the Atlantic. After a significant… Continue reading