This week in Energy Democracy news:
Puerto Rico passed an ambitious renewable energy bill committing to 100% renewables by 2050, however natural gas infrastructure plans could complicate things. According to a new study, locally generated solar and wind energy could replace about three-fourths of electricity generated by U.S. coal plants for less than the cost of continuing to operate those plants. Plus, the story of how co-ops are bringing solar power to rural America.
Featured:
How co-ops are bringing solar power to rural America by John Fialka, E&E News
Puerto Rico is on its way to 100% renewable electricity by Christian Roselund, pv Magazine
A bill to mandate that the island’s electric system move to 100% renewable energy by 2050 has passed the Puerto Rico Senate and is being sent to the House for reconciliation, the last stop before it is expected to be signed by Governor Rosselló.
Sunrun publishes report on solar+storage as solution for wildfire mitigation by Billy Ludt, Solar Power World Online
On its way to carbon-free power, Xcel wants to buy a natural gas plant by Frank Jossi, Energy News Network
“Everybody who is a market participant or customer is saying this is a terrible idea,” said John Farrell, director of the Energy Democracy Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The deal favors shareholders, who will receive a rate of return on the capital expended for the deal, rather than ratepayers, who will be exposed for years to highly volatile gas prices, he said.
The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2018 Update by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Why Garbage Incinerators Are A Bad Deal For Communities by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
The economics of incinerators don’t add up. Incinerators are risky investments for the local governments and utilities that support and subsidize them, particularly as energy prices decline [thanks to renewable alternatives.]
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
Arizona
APS acknowledges spending millions to elect Corporation Commission members, after years of questions by Ryan Randazzo, Arizona Republic
California
Albany, California, slashes its carbon emissions in a single vote by Samantha Harrington, Yale Climate Connections
Hawaii
A utility regulatory process for the 21st century gets a test run in Hawaii by Herman Trabish, Utility Dive
Illinois
Yet another Illinois energy bill seeks to avoid ‘cliff’ in renewable development by Kari Lydersen, Energy News
Kentucky
‘Would you want the mess?’ Some residents of two coal towns want ban on nearby surface mining by Bill Estep, Lexington-Herald Leader
Louisiana
A renewable energy mandate in… New Orleans? by Christian Roselund, PV Magazine
Maine
Maine to provide $5.1 million in subsidies to give a boost to electric car sales by Peter Mcguire, Press-Herald
Maine’s about to get a look at what its own Green New Deal would look like by Alex Acquisto and Michael Shepherd, Bangor Daily News
Michigan
Monopolies in Michigan fear solar, deliver some of nation’s most expensive electricity by John Weaver, pv Magazine
New Hampshire
Raising net metering cap will benefit all of New Hampshire by Steven French, Marcella Perry, et al., New Hampshire Public Radio
Legislature approves green energy bills, plastic restrictions by Casey Conley, Fosters
New Mexico
New Mexico’s 100% Clean Energy Law Praised for Worker Retraining, but Community Concerns Remain by Emma Foehringer Merchant, Green Tech Media
New York
Curbside electric car charging stations are coming. Comments, please? By Raanan Geberer, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Upstate Farms Contributing To Gov. Cuomo’s Ambitious Plan For Renewable Energy Sources, CBS New York
Vermont
Solar project in Hartland converts brownfield to brightfield, Vermont Biz
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
The good, the bad and the strange of net metering policy changes by Christian Roselund, pv Magazine
Midwest States Could Save $12 Billion A Year By Switching To Electric Vehicle, Clean Technica
Emissions from internal combustion engines are known to adversely impact air quality and human health, leading to approximately 53,000 premature deaths. Such human health impacts come at a cost. As health care rates continue to climb, we should be looking for ways to proactively reduce these impacts.
Analysis: New wind, solar cheaper than operating most existing coal plants by Kathiann M. Kowalski, Energy News Network
Locally generated solar and wind energy could already replace almost three-fourths of electricity made by U.S. coal plants for less than the cost of continuing to operate those plants, according to an analysis released by two clean energy research groups.
Puerto Rico Passes 100% Clean Energy Bill. Will Natural Gas Imports Get in the Way? by Phil Mckenna, Inside Climate News
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!
