Article, ILSR Press Room
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jul 30, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/hawaii-drives-solar-power-cost-barrier-surprised-additional-roadblocks/
The report finds that while the economics of solar continue to improve, a number of unexpected barriers have arisen. Homes often need electrical upgrades and local governments struggle to keep up with permit requests. Utilities are also reluctant to give up their market dominance, enforcing antiquated rules about grid interconnection that can add significant expense, delay, or even kill projects entirely. Continue reading
Featured
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jul 26, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/hawaiian-sunblock-solar-facing-unexpected-barriers-cost/
First in the U.S., Hawaii residents and businesses can install solar power – without incentives – for less than the cost of grid electricity. But as local Earthjustice lawyer Isaac Moriwake notes, “the gates of heaven do not open just because solar is cheap.” Instead, a number of unexpected barriers have kept the solar market… Continue reading
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jul 23, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/average-size-u-s-solar-installations-small/
Big dreams for renewable energy often goad people into imagining big solar projects, with acres of panels. But lots of smaller projects are just as likely to add up to big numbers. Counting solar projects from California and New Jersey (which together make up half the U.S. solar market), the average size of an American… Continue reading
Featured
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jul 10, 2012
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
Article, ILSR Press Room
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 18, 2012
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
Featured
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 11, 2012
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
Featured
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 8, 2012
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
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
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
Rule
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
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
|
| Updated on
Jun 7, 2012
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
