April 6th, 2020 | by John Farrell
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
March 25th, 2019 | by John Farrell
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
March 4th, 2019 | by John Farrell
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
June 11th, 2018 | by John Farrell
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
May 29th, 2018 | by John Farrell
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
May 3rd, 2018 | by John Farrell
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.
September 30th, 2015 | by John Farrell
Originally posted at ilsr.org. Aggressive state policy and cost reductions for clean energy have created two business model crises for [&hellip
September 21st, 2015 | by John Farrell
Originally posted at ilsr.org. The U.S. electricity system is undergoing the biggest change in its 130-year history. The scale of [&hellip
February 11th, 2015 | by John Farrell
Originally posted at ilsr.org. I spent three days last fall with some of the biggest minds behind the “new economy” [&hellip
September 29th, 2014 | by John Farrell
Solar and wind projects can mean big bucks for communities – but only if they keep them local! Why does [&hellip
June 25th, 2013 | by John Farrell
This article first appeared on The Institute for Local Self-Reliance website When President Obama unveils his climate policy proposal in [&hellip
May 2nd, 2013 | by John Farrell
Iowa ranks third in installed wind power capacity in the US. It’s 5,500 megawatts are behind only Texas and California [&hellip
December 17th, 2012 | by John Farrell
As community solar grows in popularity, an innovative solar project by the Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association in Minnesota highlights the [&hellip
June 4th, 2012 | by John Farrell
Local ownership of a wind project accounts for half of its lifetime economic value to the community! You can [&hellip
April 24th, 2012 | by John Farrell
If you care about the future of the American renewable energy industry, you need to learn what the Internal [&hellip
April 17th, 2012 | by John Farrell
Since it will take a battle to extend federal tax credits for wind power anyway, why not make community [&hellip
April 4th, 2012 | by John Farrell
In a New York Times SundayReview piece last month – Drawing the Line at Power Lines – Elisabeth Rosenthal [&hellip
