Term for Energy
This short presentation distills the definition and status of U.S. CLEAN (“feed-in tariff”) programs given in our full report. Click below to watch the slideshow. You can also read the full report in PDF, or get it for Kindle, Nook, or your Apple iDevice. Continue reading
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
E&E News – Tuesday, June 19, 2012 While much of the renewable energy sector remains focused on extending federal tax credits for wind, solar and other alternative fuels, utilities and small-scale energy producers in more than a dozen states are forging ahead with programs that pay renewable energy producers a fixed rate for power they… Continue reading
Rural electric cooperatives were essential to expanding electricity throughout rural America after private sector business models overwhelmingly failed to electrify our farms over many decades. Electric coops embody the spirit of local community and local concerns. Cooperatives often have decades of experience with project planning and implementation. We have seen electric coops use their own… Continue reading
Minneapolis Star Tribune – May 23, 2012 Minnesota spends more than $20 billion a year on energy — primarily importing polluting fossil fuels — and the state’s utilities typically lobby against decreasing our dependency. This hampers our economy and harms our environment. Fortunately, cities don’t have to rely on the Legislature to stand up for… Continue reading
Chattanooga is once again using their municipally owned network to improve the quality of life and save money at the same time. New LED street lamps have been installed all over the City and the anticipated energy savings are expected to be significant. In addition to the obvious, saving money with more efficient LED lights,… Continue reading
Florida Times-Union, May 17, 2012 There are a few key principles to remember about energy: As more of the world moves to the middle class, energy needs will grow enormously. “The absolute numbers are staggering,” writes Daniel Yergin, author of “The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World.” He provides deep background… Continue reading
After Wall Street popularized the term “mortgage-backed securities” in their destruction of the economy in 2008, you could be forgiven for thinking “solar securities” are a pyramid scheme. But in truth, they may hold the key to democratizing the financing and the ownership of distributed renewable energy. Right now, financing solar typically means looking for… Continue reading
Your mind-blowing chart of the day, courtesy of Arne Jungjohann at the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Source for U.S. use; source for German use; used U.S. average household size of 2.6. Continue reading
If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a “rule” that precludes distributed renewable energy projects from supplying more than 15% of the power to most “distribution circuits” (part of the low-voltage electric grid that brings power into homes and businesses). With the rapidly falling cost of solar power, many places in the country are starting to… Continue reading
Your download has begun in a separate window. Please take a minute to help us better understand who is viewing our work by filling out the form below.