3 May 2019

Minnesota Community Solar Saves All Utility Customers Money

by | Date: 3 May 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Despite its pride in having the nation’s largest community solar program––shown by the massive poster on its headquarters front doors (the above photo)––Xcel Energy can often be caught complaining (erroneously) that utility-owned solar would be more cost-effective. In the following analysis, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance explains why Minnesota’s community solar program has actually saved Xcel Energy customers millions of dollars already.… Read More
2 May 2019

Power Plant Securitization: Coming to a State Capitol Near You

by | Date: 2 May 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

As clean energy advocates urge retirement of fossil fuel power plants, securitization has become a billion-dollar word with huge implications for who will pay for and who will own the clean energy future. So, what is securitization, and how does it play a role in a clean energy transition?… Read More
25 Apr 2019

From the Archive: A David and Goliath Fight to Tap World Class Solar — Episode 75 of Local Energy Rules

by and | Date: 25 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, we revisit an earlier episode from our archives in which ILSR’s Director of Energy Democracy, John Farrell speaks with Mariel Nanasi of New Mexico’s New Energy Economy about how the citizens of Santa Fe could benefit from the economic and environmental benefits of switching to a city-owned utility. … Read More
22 Apr 2019

Delaware’s Community Solar Program

by | Date: 22 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Delaware’s Community Net Metering Provisions (Order 7946) was amended in 2010 to allow virtual net metering, meaning that the owner of a renewable facility can assign net metering credits to any customer’s account. This post summarizes the policy and compiles additional Delaware community solar resources.… Read More
11 Apr 2019

Why Garbage Incinerators Are A Bad Deal For Communities — Episode 74 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

by and | Date: 11 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, Energy Democracy Initiative director John Farrell speaks with colleagues Marie Donahue and Neil Seldman about the harmful impacts of burning trash to generate electricity. The discussion digs into ILSR’s late-2018 report Waste Incineration: A Dirty Secret in How States Define Renewable Energy and passage of the Baltimore Clean Air Act, a policy which will help shut down the city’s highly polluting waste incinerator.… Read More
8 Apr 2019

Why Does One Minnesota Utility Have a Love / Hate Relationship with Community Solar?

by | Date: 8 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Xcel Energy hosts the nation’s largest community solar program. But in testimony to the legislature or comments to the media, Minnesota’s largest private monopoly utility often raises concerns about the community solar program’s value compared to building large-scale solar arrays that don’t offer individual customers any significant bill savings. Why?

… Read More
4 Apr 2019

Of New Power Generation, How Much is on the Roof? Annual Update — 2018

by | Date: 4 Apr 2019 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

New power plant capacity expanded across the country in 2018, but steady growth in local, small-scale solar and other renewables was overshadowed by a significant jump in new gas plants. Our latest annual and quarterly updates illustrate these trends and provides a few timely examples of how communities can keep utilities accountable to clean energy commitments, rein in new centralized fossil fuel infrastructure, and support local, renewable energy, instead.… Read More

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