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About John Farrell

John Farrell directs the Energy Self-Reliant States and Communities program at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and he focuses on energy policy developments that best expand the benefits of local ownership and dispersed generation of renewable energy. More

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Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Sep 16, 2016

Reviewing Two Years of a Novel City-Utility Partnership

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/reviewing-two-years-of-a-novel-city-utility-partnership/

The first-in-the-nation Clean Energy Partnership has reached the end of its first two-year work plan and has gathered a lot of baseline data. But is it successful? As expected, it’s hard to tell.  The first work plan wasn’t adopted until well into the first year of the Partnership (2015), and a lot of existing utility… Continue reading

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Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Sep 14, 2016

Could A 40-Year-Old Law Let More Customers “Exit” the Grid?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/can-a-40-year-old-law-let-more-customers-exit-the-grid/

As state regulators restricted the ability of home and business owners in Nevada to receive sufficient compensation for solar on their rooftops, some large companies started looking towards other options. In 2016, at least two major Las Vegas casinos agreed to pay multi-million dollar “exit fees” to leave the service of incumbent monopoly utility NV Energy… Continue reading

Community Power Map
Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 24, 2016

Introducing the Community Power Map

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/introducing-the-community-power-map/

Where are communities taking charge of their energy future? Which states give communities the most power? ILSR’s newly-released Community Power Map provides an interactive illustration of how communities are accelerating the transition toward 100% renewable energy and how state policies help or hinder greater local action. You can help. If we’re missing a state policy, grassroots… Continue reading

handshake - Flickr Tess Dixon
Article, Resource filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Aug 11, 2016

Is New York’s “Compromise” the Future for Net Metering?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/is-new-yorks-compromise-the-future-for-net-metering/

Across the country, utilities are battling their customers over solar, and typically trying to undermine customers that want to cut their energy bills by installing solar arrays. But not all fights end with one side or the other “winning.” In April 2016, New York utilities—already starting down the road to a new market structure under… Continue reading

Jon Wellinghoff Play Image
Article, Resource filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jul 28, 2016

Video: Choices Within Monopoly – A Grid of the Future Conversation with Jon Wellinghoff

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/video-choices-within-monopoly-a-grid-of-the-future-conversation-with-jon-wellinghoff/

In November 2015, Jon Wellinghoff, former chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, spoke to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission about the grid of the future. In particular, he addressed the issue of giving customers meaningful choices within a monopoly grid model, present in Minnesota and 34 other states. In the following video, he outlines… Continue reading

sun and transmission lines - flickr Dennis Wilkinson
Featured Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jul 18, 2016

California Weighs Fair Pricing for Distributed, Centralized Energy

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/california-weighs-fair-pricing-for-distributed-centralized-energy/

This article published with the substantial assistance of ILSR intern, McKenna Eckerline. Everyone hates paying for something that they don’t use (how many cable channels do you have?). In California, local electricity customers may finally get satisfaction about paying for the transmission grid capacity that they don’t use. At issue is an obscure pricing mechanism… Continue reading

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Featured Article, Resource filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 23, 2016

Local Utilities Have Lost Local Control

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/local-utilities-have-lost-local-control/

This post made possible by the tireless efforts of ILSR intern Abbigail Feola. She dug up the data, identified the story worth sharing, and wrote the following piece below. Historically, the purpose of both municipal and cooperative utility agencies has been to bring energy services to communities that for-profit corporations thought unprofitable to serve. This… Continue reading

community solar people cheering - BlackRockSolar flickr
Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 16, 2016

Maryland Scores 3 out of 4 on Principles for a Good Community Solar Program

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/maryland-scores-3-out-of-4-on-principles-for-a-good-community-solar-program/

Maryland is the latest state to adopt a community solar program, and a review of the program rules shows that the state is serious about getting community solar right. It meets at least 3 of the 4 principles for a good program from our Beyond Sharing report on community renewable energy. Updated 9/13/16 to clarify… Continue reading

midwest wind turbine - Sylvan Mably via Flickr
Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on Jun 3, 2016

Why is Green Pricing a Premium When Wind Power is Cheap?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/why-is-green-pricing-a-premium-when-wind-power-is-cheap/

Ten years ago, a North Dakota cooperative stopped charging customers a premium for getting energy from the wind, because they found it wasn’t costing anything extra. The cooperative, like many utilities, used a “green pricing” program that allowed customers to voluntarily pay more to get their energy solely from renewable resources. Dozens of utilities still… Continue reading

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Featured Article filed under Energy, Energy Self-Reliant States | Written by John Farrell | No Comments | Updated on May 23, 2016

Being Black Still a Barrier to Rural Cooperative Board Membership

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at https://ilsr.org/being-black-still-a-barrier-to-rural-cooperative-board-membership/

In 1984, the New York Times ran a story highlighting the almost universally white boards of directors among 300 Southern electric cooperatives serving populations with thousands of African American member-owners: According to Oleta G. Fitzgerald, a staff lawyer with the [Southern Regional Council], a survey of 300 cooperatives in Southern states showed no more than… Continue reading