As coal plants retire and new renewable generation becomes more cost effective than existing gas-fired generation, electric generation capacity continues to grow. Total power generation capacity followed its upward trajectory in 2019. Although the year’s added generation capacity of 25.7 gigawatts is not the highest on record, in the last 15 years it is second only to 2018’s total of 34.7 gigawatts.
Renewable energy continued to expand across the country in 2018. This expansion in renewable energy complements a growing number of states, utilities, and cities that have set ambitious goals to transition to 100% renewable and carbon-free power generation.
Last week’s release of the 2019 Community Power Scorecard illustrates which states help and which hurt local renewable energy. Assessing state policy is especially timely/significant because in late 2018 the 100th U.S. city adopted an ambitious 100% renewable energy target. The success of commitments made by cities like Cincinnati, Ohio; Salt Lake City, Utah; or Minneapolis, Minn.; hinges on whether state policy gives them the power to take charge of their energy future and equitably share the economic benefits created by doing so.
Earlier this spring, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance released its 2018 Community Power State Scorecard, revealing the the best and worst states for local clean energy across the country.
Energy production from renewable sources continues to expand in the US at a rapid clip, thanks in no small part to the substantial growth of solar energy — and distributed solar in particular — in recent years. More states than ever are making solar a priority. But where have these gains been greatest, and what are the economic implications for residents from one state to the next?
Drawing on the latest national data available on new electricity sources, 2017 may have brought more sluggish gains in total new power plant capacity to the US than it had the year before, but it also brought another, more positive outcome: a notable surge in the nation’s distributed solar generation.
Originally posted at ilsr.org. Aggressive state policy and cost reductions for clean energy have created two business model crises for electric utilities: stagnant sales and exponentially rising production from distributed renewable sources. This is the second of four parts of ILSR’s Beyond Utility 2.0 to Energy Democracy report being published in serial. To … [continued]
Originally posted at ilsr.org. The U.S. electricity system is undergoing the biggest change in its 130-year history. The scale of electricity generation is rapidly shrinking, from coal and nuclear power plants that can power a million homes to solar and wind power plants that power a few to a few … [continued]
Originally posted at ilsr.org. I spent three days last fall with some of the biggest minds behind the “new economy” movement, noting how their core theme – economic democracy – is hand in hand with ILSR’s work on democratic energy. The big takeaway? Solar power is the spark to energize … [continued]
Solar and wind projects can mean big bucks for communities – but only if they keep them local! Why does ownership of renewable energy matter? Because the number of jobs and economic returns for communities are substantially higher when electricity generation from wind and sun can be captured by local … [continued]
