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Featured Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 30, 2013

Why Master Limited Partnerships are a Lousy Policy for Solar, Wind, and Taxpayers

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/master-limited-partnerships-lousy-policy-solar-or-business/

Read reactions to this piece here If you follow the renewable energy industry and haven’t been sleeping, then you’ve probably heard about one of the few pieces of federal legislation purported to help clean energy that’s actually moving: expanding Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) to cover wind and solar energy. (H.R.1696) This is not a good… Continue reading

Credit: CERTs
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 28, 2013

Minnesota’s New (Standard Offer) Solar Energy Standard

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/minnesotas-standard-offer-solar-energy-standard/

A friend at Fresh Energy generously called me the “architect” of Minnesota’s new solar energy standard (signed last week), and although that may be a bit generous, I’d like to provide a detailed description of the nation’s newest solar energy standard. The topline: 1.5% solar standard for the state’s investor-owned utilities (with some exemptions) for… Continue reading

Expect Delays - Presentation on Ontario FIT 2013.001
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 20, 2013

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

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/expect-delays-presentation-reviewing-ontarios-buy-local-renewable-energy-program/

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… Continue reading

germany people powered 2012.003
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 15, 2013

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

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/germanys-63000-megawatts-renewable-energy-locally-owned/

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

MN solar standard 8 vivid charts
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 13, 2013

8 Vivid Charts – 8 Reasons for a Solar Energy Standard in Minnesota

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/8-vivid-charts-8-reasons-solar-energy-standard-minnesota/

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

Los Angeles FIT Program capacity and price
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Apr 3, 2013

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

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

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… Continue reading

Cost of 10 Percent Solar for MN
Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 2 Comments | Updated on Mar 14, 2013

The Making of a Midwestern Solar Energy Standard

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/making-midwestern-solar-energy-standard/

Last night, the House Energy Policy Committee in the Minnesota state legislature voted 8-6 to approve a 4% by 2025 solar energy standard, with an innovative new approach to financing solar power.  It’s a powerful first step for what would be one of the more robust policies to support distributed, local solar power in the… Continue reading

Screenshot of Whiteboard video of Rooftop Revolution research
Article, ILSR Press Room, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 2 Comments | Updated on Jan 24, 2013

Solar Rooftop Revolution: A Video Whiteboard

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/solar-rooftop-revolution-video-whiteboard/

Solar company Renvu created a delightful whiteboard animation of the results from our Rooftop Revolution research, which automatically makes them cooler than the average solar company.  Check it out below or on Youtube. Continue reading

FIT 101 video screenshot
Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jan 15, 2013

A Clean Contract / Feed-In Tariff 101

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/clean-contract-feed-in-tariff-101/

A 5-minute video explaining CLEAN Contracts (a.k.a. feed-in tariffs) in simple terms.  It’d be great if it used a name for the policy that’s in common circulation, but since I was guilty of using Renewable Energy Payments, too, I shouldn’t complain. How Renewable Energy Payments (REPs) Work. from Chris Neidl on Vimeo. Continue reading

Screen shot of the Greatest Most Interactive U.S. Solar Grid Parity Map from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jan 14, 2013

The Most Amazing, Interactive U.S. Solar Grid Parity Map

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/amazing-interactive-u-s-solar-grid-parity-map/

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