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Featured Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 6 Comments | Updated on Jun 19, 2012

Crowdfunding for Community Power?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/crowdfunding-community-power/

Back in April, President Obama signed the JOBS Act and one of the most-heralded elements was so-called crowdfunding. The law sought to solve a major problem: it’s hard to finance small-scale business ventures.  Wall Street only cares about multi-million dollar plays and securities regulations make small-dollar projects rather difficult (and costly) to jointly fund. The… Continue reading

Back to the Future on Solar?
Article, ILSR Press Room filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 18, 2012

1.21 Gigawatts!

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/1-21-gigawatts/

In the past five years, a new U.S. renewable energy policy has quietly grown more popular, enabling enough solar power (1.21 gigawatts!) to send Michael J. Fox “Back to the Future.” CLEAN programs – Clean Local Energy Accessible Now – have been adopted in 14 states and can significantly increase the deployment of local solar power, says a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). Continue reading

Article filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 3 Comments | Updated on Jun 15, 2012

FHFA Finally Releases PACE Ruling: Did They Repent?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/fhfa-finally-releases-pace-ruling-repent/

After effectively suspending residential PACE energy efficiency and renewable energy municipal financing programs in 2010 and then being taken to federal court and required to do a revised rule making, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released its revised ruling on PACE programs [pdf] today. Did they repent from their 2010 assertion that PACE presented… 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

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 8, 2012

Solar Power for Minnesota

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

This report, done for the Solar Works for Minnesota campaign, explores the value of solar power on schools, libraries, and other public buildings in Minnesota.  It was co-authored by John Farrell of ILSR and Christina Mills of IEER. Download the Report Highlights Minnesotans spend more than $20 billion dollars every year on these energy imports…. Continue reading

Rule filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Vermont Streamlines Solar Permitting

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/solar-permitting/vermont-streamlines-solar-permitting/

The state of Vermont has come up with a good rule for reducing the cost of solar power installations. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Vermont’s rule shifts the burden of… Continue reading

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Rule filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Colorado Caps Solar Permitting Fees

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/solar-permitting/colorado-caps-solar-permitting-fees/

The state of Colorado passed a law in 2011 to solve the problem of inconsistent and expensive solar permitting costs. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Colorado’s Fair Permit Act (HB… Continue reading

Rule filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Solar Permitting

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

In a recent report, SunRun and Vote Solar revealed that permitting costs were rapidly becoming a much more significant portion of the cost of a small-scale solar installation, nearly 20%!  Some states have responded with policies designed to streamline and reduce the costs of permitting. Continue reading

Photo by Zane Selvans
Rule filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Colorado Caps Solar Permitting Fees

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/colorado-caps-solar-permitting-fees/

The state of Colorado passed a law in 2011 to solve the problem of inconsistent and expensive solar permitting costs. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Colorado’s Fair Permit Act (HB… Continue reading

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Article, Rule filed under Energy | Written by John Farrell | 4 Comments | Updated on Jun 7, 2012

Vermont’s Streamlined Solar Permitting

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/vermonts-streamlined-solar-permitting/

The state of Vermont has come up with a good rule for reducing the cost of solar power installations. A national study recently found that local permitting can increase the cost of residential solar by 15-20%, a problem that becomes more pressing as the cost of solar hardware falls. Vermont’s rule shifts the burden of… Continue reading