Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
May 17, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/community-solar-gold-standard-episode-9-local-energy-rules-podcast/
Joy Hughes was living in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, a place with a “tremendous amount of solar potential,” so good that the valley’s residents were being overwhelmed by proposals for large scale solar power plants. One had a “field of things like radar dishes” and another included a “600 foot tower.” The influx… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
Wade
|
| Updated on
Apr 4, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/solar-costs-grid-prices-collision/
With the cost of solar continuing to fall rapidly (50% in the past five years) and electricity prices rising steadily, if slowly, the approach of solar grid parity is near. The following chart illustrates the trajectory of solar cost and electricity price, hinting at the coming intersection. 1 The chart compares the cost of a… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
Wade
|
| Updated on
Mar 27, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/coming-solar-electricity-transformation/
Solar cells are unusual in that they were cost-competitive from the get-go. From the Apollo space program to highway signs to lighting for buoys, solar could replace highly expensive power from batteries or other sources and eliminate the need for the construction of electric distribution lines.1 When the Institute for Local Self-Reliance was founded in… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Mar 14, 2013
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
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Mar 7, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/randy-caveniss-community-wind-iowa-episode-4-local-energy-rules-podcast/
This week, John Farrell and Wade Underwood talk community wind power with Randy Caviness, an Iowa farmer and member of Green Energy Farmers. Working with over 180 investors in the local community, Randy helped build eight utility-scale wind turbines with community ownership, providing clean, local power to municipal and rural electric utilities in southwestern Iowa…. Continue reading
Article, Resource
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Feb 20, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/ilsr-monitors-georgia-legisation-to-kill-muni/
Once again, the Georgia General Assembly is considering a bill that would devastate local communities’ right to build their own telecommunications networks. ILSR is monitoring this House Bill 282 as it moves through through the Senate and House. The bill, misleadingly called the “Municipal Broadband Investment Act,” creates barriers to any municipal network in areas… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Feb 15, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/local-solar-energy-standard-minnesota/
The following presentation outlines a 10% solar energy standard to be considered by the Minnesota legislature in early 2013. It would require utilities to supply 10% of their energy sales from solar electricity – largely local, distributed solar. It provides long-term, standard contracts to solar projects with a value of solar production-based price and a… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Feb 5, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/utility-action-means-local-energy-hawaii/
Hawai’an solar advocates are celebrating this week after the island state’s largest utility, Hawai’ian Electric (HECO) filed a plan with the public utility commission to take a “proactive approach” to adding more distributed solar to their grid system. Utilities across the country typically use “conservative blanket limits” on the amount of renewable energy allowed on… Continue reading
Article, Resource
filed under
Energy
| Written by
John Farrell
|
| Updated on
Jan 16, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/john-farrell-talks-community-solar-sierra-club-magazine-editor-paul-rauber/
Following up on his “Solar for All” piece in the current issue of Sierra Magazine, Paul Rauber interviews his “solar guru,” ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell, on the future of community solar. Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
admin
|
| Updated on
Jan 8, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/internet-sales-tax-fairness/internet-sales-tax-fairness-vermon/
In 2011, Vermont passed a law requiring remote sellers to collect sales tax if they make more than $100,000 in sales a year through in-state sales affiliates (such as those used by Amazon). However, the law will not take effect until 15 other states have adopted similar laws. Continue reading
