On June 17, John Farrell delivered a keynote address to the annual Midwest Energy Fair in Custer, Wisconsin. In this presentation, John detailed the growth of renewable energy and how new technologies and smart policies can lead to the downfall of the monopoly electric utility.
Originally published on ilsr.org. I was the keynote speaker for the Salt Spring Community Energy Group’s 2016 Conference in British Columbia, Canada, on Saturday, April 23rd. Following the keynote presentation, there were over a dozen different workshops on new energy methods and technologies that can be implemented by homeowners and businesses. My plenary … [continued]
Originally published at ilsr.org. You may have missed our small change, but after rolling out our program logo back in December 2014, we decided to make a small revision in our name and program description, from “democratic energy” to “energy democracy.” Primarily, this is due to the understandable but mistaken notion … [continued]
We promote solar power quite a lot here on CleanTechnica. We’ve actually published nearly 10,000 articles on the topic. We often combine the benefits of utility-scale solar power and rooftop solar power when discussing many of the great advantages that solar offers. Even when we do specifically write about the benefits of rooftop solar … [continued]
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. Business as Usual No matter the path chosen, Hawai’i’s electricity will become more renewable over time, but the method makes a difference. One stark difference is where and how each island sources its renewable power. This is part three of Hawai’i at the Energy Crossroads, a report … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. How Much Renewable Energy? Below is part two of Hawai’i at the Energy Crossroads, a report released in October 2015 about the tough choices facing the islanders as they stand on the cusp of an electric grid transformation. Read part 1, published earlier this week and stayed tuned … [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. Earlier this year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released a new estimate of rooftop solar potential, an update to 2008 figures we used in our landmark state-by-state energy atlas, Energy Self-Reliant States. The bottom line: there’s much more potential to generate our electricity from solar on nearby … [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]
