This week in Energy Democracy news:
Massachusetts faces a big decision on battery energy storage incentives; Ashland, Oregon boosts electric vehicles in their community; a Colorado program is enabling low-income households to benefit from renewable energy; and Atlanta looks toward a 100% renewable goal, the first from a major city in the Southeast U.S.
Featured Stories:
New York Solar Bill Encourages Distributed Energy Market To Stay On Target by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Massachusetts Faces Make-or-Break Decision on Landmark Storage Incentive by Julian Spector, Greentech Media
Massachusetts wants to use a forthcoming solar program to kick-start its energy storage industry.
The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) will deploy 1,600 megawatts of new solar capacity in the coming years, pending regulatory approval. The incentive contains an adder that pays more for solar generation tied to energy storage.
The storage industry has barely gotten started in Massachusetts, but it will play an increasingly valuable role by balancing out the gigawatts of new wind and solar the state has planned. Those intermittent resources are already reshaping the region’s electricity consumption.
The City of Ashland is working to help accelerate electric vehicle adoption by Alicia Rubin, KDRV
Solar Is Saving Low-Income Households Money in Colorado. It Could Be a National Model. by Dan Gearino, InsideClimate News
The state’s energy assistance programs are solving two challenges at once: help people save money on electricity bills while expanding renewable energy.
Electric vehicles are gaining momentum, despite Trump by David Roberts, Vox
Atlanta Charts a Path to 100 Percent Renewable Electricity by James Bruggers, InsideClimate News
If Atlanta can get to 100 percent clean electricity, then any city can, Al Gore said. Now that signature Southern city in a deep red state has a plan to do just that.
On Tuesday, city officials took their new road map for a greener future to the Atlanta City Council, outlining options they say can fight climate change, improve health and bolster the economy all at once.
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
Arizona
Arizona commissioner prepares to file 80% clean energy rule by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Clean energy, taxes and anti-dirty money proposals submitted for November ballot by Alison Steinbach, Ryan Randazzo, and Richard Ruelas, Arizona Republic
California
City of San Fernando gets new electric vehicle charging stations by Dalia Espinosa, Los Angeles Daily News
SoCal Edison Seeks $760M to Build 48,000 New EV Charging Stations by Julia Pyper, Greentech Media
Port of San Diego to Demonstrate How Microgrids Benefit Ports Worldwide by Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge
The Port of San Diego aims to show the world just how much microgrids benefit ports with its solar microgrid project, supported with a $4.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC).
About $4.4 million in matching funds will be provided by the port for the microgrid, which is expected to have 700 kW of solar and 700 kW of energy storage.
California lawmakers push 100% clean energy bill closer to governor’s desk by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Colorado
Solar Is Saving Low-Income Households Money in Colorado. It Could Be a National Model. by Dan Gearino, InsideClimate News
The state’s energy assistance programs are solving two challenges at once: help people save money on electricity bills while expanding renewable energy.
Connecticut
New Dover High School may go solar by Brian Early, Foster’s Daily Democrat
Florida
Florida Utilities Need to Begin Leveraging Intelligent Residential Energy Storage by Andrew Battaglia, Greentech Media
Georgia
Atlanta Charts a Path to 100 Percent Renewable Electricity by James Bruggers, InsideClimate News
If Atlanta can get to 100 percent clean electricity, then any city can, Al Gore said. Now that signature Southern city in a deep red state has a plan to do just that.
On Tuesday, city officials took their new road map for a greener future to the Atlanta City Council, outlining options they say can fight climate change, improve health and bolster the economy all at once.
Hawai’i
Hawaii microgrid bill aims to keep the state a model for others by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Report: Hawaii still a long way off from 100 percent renewable energy by Samie Gebers, Hawai’i News Now
Hawaii opens up existing solar installations to energy storage by Christian Roselund, pv magazine
Illinois
County board approves two solar farm projects by Vinde Wells, Ogle County News
Iowa
Johnson County Solarize program reaches milestone by Mitchell Schmidt, Cedar Rapids Gazette
Like Linn County’s Solarize program, the first of its kind in the state, Johnson County’s program is administered by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.
The Cedar Rapids and Linn County Solarize program ended with about 607 kilowatts of solar energy added to 105 properties.
Linn County officials estimated that Solarize customers will save more than $70,000 on utility costs in their first year. About 1 million pounds of CO2 and 280,000 gallons of water annually will be offset by the new solar production, rather than fossil fuel generated electricity, officials have said.
Renewable energy can charge up rural economies by Mark Mahoney, N’West Iowa
Kentucky
Solar Power Net Metering Is Hot by Debra Gibson Isaacs, Lane Business Report
Massachusetts
Update on Massachusetts SMART Program: Where Are We Now? by Thomas Burton, MintzLevin
Vineyard Wind negotiations with utilities extended by Mary Ann Bragg, Cape Cod Times
Mass. Chamber of Commerce chiefs press for more renewable energy by Katie Lannan, Worcester Telegram
Massachusetts Faces Make-or-Break Decision on Landmark Storage Incentive by Julian Spector, Greentech Media
Massachusetts wants to use a forthcoming solar program to kick-start its energy storage industry.
The Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) will deploy 1,600 megawatts of new solar capacity in the coming years, pending regulatory approval. The incentive contains an adder that pays more for solar generation tied to energy storage.
The storage industry has barely gotten started in Massachusetts, but it will play an increasingly valuable role by balancing out the gigawatts of new wind and solar the state has planned. Those intermittent resources are already reshaping the region’s electricity consumption.
Lawmakers should act to support solar, encourage jobs for vets by Will Thompson, Chris Perron and Jenn DeLaney, The Eagle-Tribune
Michigan
Report: Renewables push could mean billions for Michigan economy by Andy Balaskovitz, Energy News Network
Michigan could see billions in economic impact and tens of thousands of new jobs if its major utilities follow through on voluntary pledges to boost renewable energy, according to a new report released Thursday by a conservative energy group.
The Michigan Conservative Energy Forum report highlights the potential economic impact as utilities comply with a 15 percent renewable energy standard by 2021. It also projects the impact if Consumers Energy and DTE Energy reach 30 percent renewable by 2027, which is generally in line with the stated goals of the companies.
Minnesota
Richfield City Council Approves Major Solar Energy Expansion by William Bornhoft, Richfield Patch
UMN works with German government on advancing Minnesota’s sustainability by Cleo Krejci, Minnesota Daily
Minnesota delays decision on residential energy code update by Frank Jossi, Energy News Network
North Mankato considers solar garden subscription by Trey Mewes, Mankato Free Press
Co-Ops Add Competition To Solar Energy Market by Christiane Cordero, WCCO
St. Paul aims to make public buildings ‘carbon neutral’ by 2030, private buildings by 2050 by Frederick Melo, Pioneer Press
New Hampshire
Fight for local energy generation by Emily Manns, The Keene Sentinel Source
Concord City Council Expected To Pass Renewable Energy Goal by Annie Ropeik, New Hampshire Public Radio
New York
New York Plans Trip to Energy Storage Future. Takes Along Swiss Army Knife by Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
Million Solar Strong Campaign tours NY low-income solar housing development by Kelly Pickerel, Solar Power World Online
Ohio
Co-op makes rooftop solar panels possible in Kent by Kelly Maile, Record-Courier
Oregon
The City of Ashland is working to help accelerate electric vehicle adoption by Alicia Rubin, KDRV
Portland Clean Energy Fund doubles signatures needed for November ballot by Hailey Stewart, Portland Tribune
Pennsylvania
New Pennsylvania law to create more revenue options for utilities by Marie Cusick, Energy News Network
South Carolina
SEIA says South Carolina legislature missed a chance to grow solar by Kelsey Misbrener, Solar Power World Online
South Carolina net metering cap increase derailed by Christian Roselund, pv magazine
Texas
Georgetown officially adds solar power to renewable energy efforts by Christy Milweard, KVUE
Georgetown running completely on renewable energy by Spectrum News
Washington D.C.
The role of energy efficiency in creating just and inclusive communities by Tommy Wells and Ted Trabue, GreenBiz
Wisconsin
Janesville adds electric car charging stations by Jim Dayton, Janesville Gazette Extra
Madison wants to transition to 100 percent renewable energy using RECs by Pawan Naidu, The Cap Times
Advanced Microgrid a Natural Fit for Wisconsin Project by Darrell Proctor, Power Magazine
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
Research Shows Incentives to Purchase Electric Vehicles Are Working by Skip Descant, Government Technology
What Midwestern Electric Utilities Are Saying About Clean Energy by Isak Kvam, Wind on the Wires
Thursday, Georgetown city leaders — including Mayor Dale Ross and City Manager Craig Morgan — traveled to West Texas to cut the ribbon on the new solar panel farm that will provide energy to the Central Texas town.
“Today was just an incredibly good day,” said Ross.
Ross told KVUE it was a “historic day” to add solar power to their 100 percent renewable energy efforts.
The city has been running mostly on wind power coming from a farm west of Amarillo.
New grid transparency tools improve distributed generation siting by Mari Hernandez, Utility Dive
How to Find a Job in Microgrids and Distributed Energy by Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
Electric vehicles are gaining momentum, despite Trump by David Roberts, Vox
Big Oil, Utilities are Lining Up for an Electric Vehicle War by Kelly Gilblom and Anna Hirtenstein, Bloomberg
As the power sector transforms, can utilities and customers find common ground on ratemaking? by Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
The Misinformation Around Electric Vehicles by Enrique Dans, Forbes
What’s the future for the Midwest in a post-mandate world? by Jeffrey Tomich, E&E News
From the editor: Energy independence by Christian Roselund, pv magazine
Utilities Should Invest in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure by Daniel Gatti, Union of Concerned Scientists
Q&A: Midwest partnership pushing to expand EV infrastructure in region by Kevin Stark, Energy News Network
This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell or Marie Donahue on Twitter or get the Energy Democracy weekly update. Also check out over 50 episodes of the Local Energy Rules podcast!
