Author Archives: John Farrell


About John Farrell

John Farrell directs the Energy Self-Reliant States and Communities program at ILSR and he focuses on energy policy developments that best expand the benefits of local ownership and dispersed generation of renewable energy. His latest paper, Democratizing the Electricity System, describes how to blast the roadblocks to distributed renewable energy generation, and how such small-scale renewable energy projects are the key to the biggest strides in renewable energy development.   Farrell also authored the landmark report Energy Self-Reliant States, which serves as the definitive energy atlas for the United States, detailing the state-by-state renewable electricity generation potential. Farrell regularly provides discussion and analysis of distributed renewable energy policy on his blog, Energy Self-Reliant States (energyselfreliantstates.org), and articles are regularly syndicated on Grist and Renewable Energy World.   John Farrell can also be found on Twitter @johnffarrell, or at jfarrell@ilsr.org.

Here Comes the Sun – The Chart Paul Krugman Left Out

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Number of Americans at Solar Grid Parity

This post originally appeared on Energy Self-Reliant States, a resource of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s New Rules Project. Nobel economist Paul Krugman made waves last month when his column “Here Comes the Sun” noted that the rapidly falling cost of solar electricity – “prices adjusted for inflation falling around 7 percent a year” – meant that “solar is now cost-effective.” It’s close. But it depends on what’s meant by “cost-effective.” The first step is … Read More

Solar for Schools? Not So Easy with Tax-based Solar Incentives

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Public Sector Struggles to Use Federal Solar Incentives

You’re a city manager hoping to cut electricity costs at sewage treatment plant, a school administrator looking to power schools with solar, or a state park official needing an off-grid solar array for a remote ranger station. But unlike any private home or business, you can’t get 50% off using the federal tax incentives for solar (a 30% tax credit and ~20% from accelerated depreciation).  That’s because the federal government’s energy policies all use the … Read More

Group Purchase Gets Residential Solar to Grid Parity in Los Angeles

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Group Solar Beats Grid Prices in Los Angeles

This post originally appeared on Energy Self-Reliant States, a resource of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s New Rules Project. Back for a second round, the Open Neighborhoods organization in Los Angeles has organized another group purchase of residential and commercial solar PV, bringing the lifetime cost of solar well under the cost of grid electricity even for individual homeowners. The savings from the group purchase are enormous.  With prices are around $4.40 per Watt installed … Read More

America and Germany Getting Their Clean Energy Just Desserts

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Half of 53,000 MW German Renewable Energy Market is Locally Owned

Germany is the unquestioned world leader in renewable energy.  By mid-2011, the European nation generated over 20 percent of its electricity from wind and solar power alone, and had created over 400,000 jobs in the industry. The sweet German success is no accident, however, and the following pie chart illustrates the results of a carefully crafted recipe for renewable energy. As the chart illustrates, more than half of Germany’s enormous renewable energy generation is in … Read More

America’s Energy Future a Battle Between Entrenched Utilities and Clean, Local Power

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electricity-system-past-and-future

While Americans transition their electricity system to the 21st century, they should ask this question: Does it make sense to pursue strategies such as accelerating the development of new high-voltage power lines that reinforce an outdated paradigm of electricity delivery, or should scarce energy dollars be spent on adding new, clean, local energy to the grid in the most cost-effective manner? [...]

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Simple, Transparent Feed-in Tariff Policy Responsible for Most Renewable Energy

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Policy Share of World Solar Power Capacity

Feed-in tariffs are a comprehensive renewable energy policy responsible for two-thirds of the world’s wind power (64 percent) and almost 90 percent of the world’s solar power.  With simplified grid connections, long-term contracts and attractive prices for development, that’s policy that works. The basic premise of the feed-in tariff is that the electric utility must connect any wind turbine or solar panel (or other generator) to the grid and buy all the electricity via a … Read More

Going Boulder: a Vote for Energy Self-Reliance

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Banner Supporting Local Power in Boulder

By a razor-thin margin, Boulder citizens gave the city a victory for energy self-reliance on Nov. 1, approving two ballot measures to let the city form a municipal utility. If the city moves ahead, it would capture nearly $100 million currently spent on electricity imports and instead create up to $350 million in local economic development by dramatically increasing local clean energy production.

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Electric Vehicles Enable More Local Clean Energy

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how clean energy EVs support each other

The U.S. Northwest could get an additional 12 percent of its electricity from local wind power if 1 in 8 of the region’s cars used batteries. That’s the conclusion of a new study from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratories investigating how electric vehicles can help smooth the introduction of more variable renewable energy into the grid system. The study examines the Northwest Power Pool, an area  encompassing roughly seven states in the Northwest.  With around … Read More

Wind Could Provide 25% or More of Electricity for Most States

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State Wind Power Potential

At least 32 states can get 25% or more of their electricity from wind power within their own borders. This map is updated from a 2009 report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Energy Self-Reliant States. Click the image for a larger version. State Wind Power Potential (% of Electricity Sales) The only updated figure from the 2009 release is Maryland, due to a new report on its offshore wind potential. … Read More