Solar and the New (democratic) Energy Economy

Date: 19 Sep 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

I spent three days this week with some of the biggest minds behind the “new economy” movement because their core theme – economic democracy – fits like a glove over ILSR’s work on democratic energy. The big takeaway? Solar power is the spark to energize a new energy economy from the bottom up. This new solar-sparked … Read More

Minnesota Nuclear Plant Cost Overruns Show Shortcomings of Large Scale Power Generation

Date: 11 Sep 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 8 Facebooktwitterredditmail

With the rich history of cost overruns in the nuclear industry, Xcel Energy and Minnesota regulators probably shouldn’t have been surprised when the retrofit cost to the Monticello nuclear power plant ballooned to more than twice the original estimate late last year. Regulators are asking tough questions about whether the cost overruns are the responsibility of … Read More

Forget Utility 2.0, Let’s Talk Energy Ownership 2.0

Date: 16 Jun 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 2 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The transformation taking place in the electricity system is enormous, but twofold. But most commentators – including the former FERC chair – miss half the opportunity when they fixate on the inevitable technological rather than the more fundamental economic transformation. The 20th century electric grid was characterized by two centralized components. The technology of power generation … Read More

Watch: John Farrell Talks Energy Decentralization on Thom Hartmann’s Big Picture

Date: 24 Feb 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

What is energy decentralization, who’s doing it, and why does it matter? John Farrell, Director of Democratic Energy, answers these questions in an interview segment with Thom Hartmann on his Big Picture program on February 18, 2014. Skip to 30:06 to see John’s interview.  

Report: Commercial Rooftop Revolution

Date: 4 Dec 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 2 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Although only 0.1% of electricity is generated by solar power in 2012; within a decade, 300,000 MW of unsubsidized solar power will be at parity with retail electricity prices in most of the United States and more than 35 million buildings may be generating their own solar electricity sufficient to power almost 10% of the country.… Read More

Going Local Gives More Value to Solar Power

Date: 27 Nov 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 2 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Update: you can now read the whole essay – Wide-scale Implementation of Solar Power I just read an essay by a Canadian utility executive arguing that solar is the most economic energy source, and he systematically dismantles the notion that “cheap baseload coal” is more competitive that solar electricity. First: Solar is Cheaper Than Coal He … Read More