Originally published on ilsr.org. There are many organizations in the energy space, and ILSR’s climate and energy advocacy overlaps substantially with the many other players who care about a cleaner energy system. But our approach isn’t the same. Rather, our vision is that communities enrich their local economies by being masters of … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. On the one hand: Sky-high electricity prices. A 20th century electricity system burning fuel oil and controlled by large monopoly electric utilities. A proposed utility takeover. On the other hand: A new 100% renewable energy standard. Rooftop solar on one of ten homes, saving each customer hundreds of dollars … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. Because they only sell 11% of the country’s electricity and they largely overlap politically conservative areas, electric cooperatives are often the forgotten stepchild of the clean energy movement. But with 7 of the top 10 dirtiest power systems (as measured by carbon intensity) and territory that overlaps some … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. Like mine, your eyes probably glaze when you see items like “fuel cost adjustment clause,” but tucked in your monthly electric bill are two big components that matter. One is a fixed amount you pay to be connected to the grid every month. The second is a … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. What would it take to power the entire US economy on renewable resources alone? Three big things: Only build wind, solar, or hydro power plants after 2020 Reduce energy use compared to business as usual by 40% Electrify everything It’s the last that may be the most … [continued]
This article was originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell on Twitter or get the Democratic Energy weekly update. For states looking to reduce their reliance on dirty, imported energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory brings good news on the wind. In a May 2015 report, significantly more … [continued]
Renewable energy continues to dominate new power plant capacity and distributed generation has contributed an increasingly large share. In recognition of this, the federal Energy Information Administration is finally going to report estimates of distributed solar power capacity in its monthly updates, a big victory for tracking an individually-small but … [continued]
Originally posted at ilsr.org. Kansas City, MO, has neither the abundant sunshine nor high cost of electricity that have driven solar installations in other cities. Despite this, the city has close to 1.5 MW of solar in 59 separate installations on municipal properties. Thanks to utility rebates, two department leaders, … [continued]
There aren’t many solar success stories from the Southeast, making Raleigh, NC, stand out in a region with low-cost electricity and modest sunshine. With just over 2 megawatts of solar on public property — providing close to 7% of municipal building peak demand — Raleigh’s solar success comes despite state rules preventing city from … [continued]
Earlier this week, the Public Utilities Commission of Hawaii approved the proposal of the islands’ largest utility to end net metering for solar customers. It’s the culmination of a years-long battle and a proxy in the national fight between utilities and solar producing customers. It’s also the first big decision taking Hawaii away … [continued]
