This week in Energy Democracy news:

GreenTech Media ranked the states most friendly to solar, the fight for proper valuation of solar energy continues in Montana and Maine, and Iowa’s latest energy plan promotes the vast potential of renewable energy of all stripes in their state.

Featured Stories:

Beyond Sharing Report — Part 1: Benefits of Community-Owned Renewable Energy by John Farrell, CleanTechnica

Beyond Sharing Report – Part 2: Barrier Busting by John Farrell, CleanTechnica

Beyond Sharing Report – Part 3: Exceptional Community-Owned Renewable Energy Projects by John Farrell, CleanTechnica

Iowa Energy Plan envisions new energy technologies as central to state’s economy by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

Battle expected over net metering bills in 2017 Legislature by Freddy Monares, Bozeman Daily Chronicle

While visions of energy meters running backward scare utilities, the idea of allowing Montanans to make their own energy appeals to some homeowners, businesses, nonprofits and government consumers, said Brian Fadie, who monitors energy for the Montana Environmental Information Center.

“That’s why we need to put the rules in place that support that development, rather than try to stifle it with any arbitrary or unnecessary caps or imprudent fees for net metering customers,” Fadie said.

The states most friendly to rooftop solar, ranked by Julian Spector, GreenTech Media

 

Energy Democracy Across the States:

Arizona

Arizona Corporation Commission votes to end net metering by Daily Energy Insider

Arizona Commission overhauls rules for net metering, distributed generation by Wayne Barber, Electric Light & Power

 

California

California must adopt the electrical grid of the future by Varun Sivaram, San Francisco Chronicle

 

Hawaii

KIUC pushes for ‘Drive Electric Hawaii’ by Jessica Else, Kauai Garden Island

HECO’s five-year plans accommodate more solar than ever by Frank Andorka, PV Magazine

The aggressive goals filed last week builds on an April plan include expanded rooftop solar growth and additional utility-scale solar expansion. If HECO’s projections are accurate, it will be generating 100% its electricity from renewable sources five years earlier than originally planned.

 

Iowa

Iowa Energy Plan envisions new energy technologies as central to state’s economy by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News

Johnson County wins award for solar arrays by The Cedar Rapids Gazette

 

Maine

A strong solar industry will grow our economy, keep our energy dollars here by David Woodsome and Martin Grohman, Bangor Daily News

Mainers of all political persuasions want more solar and the jobs that a robust solar economy brings. As we continue to lose traditional industry jobs, Maine has an opportunity to unleash the significant job creation potential of solar energy that we have seen in neighboring states with strong solar policy — these are good jobs that encompass engineering, surveying, construction and skilled trades.

Report: Proposed natural gas storage facility wouldn’t lower energy prices by Fred Bever, Maine Public Radio

 

Maryland

Wilde Lake Middle in Columbia becomes Maryland first ‘net-zero energy’ school by Colin Campbell, Baltimore Sun

 

Michigan

Why Michigan’s energy overhaul mattered to Grand Rapids Schools, other districts by Monica Scott, MLive

Net metering law causes confusion by Jordan Travis, Traverse City Record-Eagle

 

Minnesota

Solar, energy efficiency part of Minnesota National Guard push for net zero by Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News

 

Montana

Montanans seek local clean energy solutions in wake of Trump’s election by Amanda Eggert, Explore Big Sky

Battle expected over net metering bills in 2017 Legislature by Freddy Monares, Bozeman Daily Chronicle

While visions of energy meters running backward scare utilities, the idea of allowing Montanans to make their own energy appeals to some homeowners, businesses, nonprofits and government consumers, said Brian Fadie, who monitors energy for the Montana Environmental Information Center.

“That’s why we need to put the rules in place that support that development, rather than try to stifle it with any arbitrary or unnecessary caps or imprudent fees for net metering customers,” Fadie said.

 

Nevada

Regulators take ‘a first step’ toward restoring rooftop-solar rates by Daniel Rothberg, Las Vegas Sun

 

New Hampshire

The problem with utility projects? Fixed costs by Terry Cronin, Concord Monitor

 

North Carolina

Boone becomes first municipality in the U.S. to call for 100 percent clean energy goal by High Country Press

Solar farm approved for long-closed site of Charlotte dump by Associated Press, Winston-Salem Journal

 

Ohio

Ohio Gov. John Kasich vetoes renewable energy freeze by Peter Krouse, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Ohio Gov. John Kasich vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have allowed investor-owned utilities to avoid making renewable energy investments for another two years.

The bill would have effectively extended a freeze on renewable-energy standards for the past two years by making them voluntary for 2017 and 2018. If the legislature had not acted, the mandates would have snapped back into place starting next year.

Solar incentive program reopening early this year by Ann Thompson, WVXU

Ohio clean energy standards resume, but still weakened by 2014 laws by Kathiann M. Kowalski, Midwest Energy News

Community solar comes to coal country by Frank Andorka, PV Magazine

 

Oregon

Local control can replace 19th-century energy thinking by Mary Geddry, The World Newspaper – Coos Bay

 

Vermont

Groups signing on to solar project at capped landfill by Chris Mays, Brattleboro Reformer

In Vermont, solar, batteries key energy revolution by Associated Press, Fox Business News

 

Wisconsin

Renewable energy creates Wisconsin jobs by Eric Blashford, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter

Held back by regulators, MGE earns D+ on report card by Mitch Brey, The Cap Times

Earning a “D+” overall, MGE’s grades are disappointing to everyone hoping Madison will become a national leader in clean energy with fair and affordable energy bills. The grade is based on MGE’s score in six categories: customer satisfaction (D), greenhouse gas pollution (D+), energy efficiency (C-), rates (D), renewable energy (C), and corporate behavior (D).

Using publicly available data, the report finds that MGE has the lowest customer satisfaction and the highest bills in the state.

 

Nationwide Energy Democracy News:

Predictions 2017: 5 takes on what the new year will bring for renewable energy by Krysti Shallenberger, Utility Dive

How the microgrid industry changed in 2016: A Ben & Jerry’s year by Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge

Year in review: how 8 states made 2016 a huge year for clean energy by Jessica Collingsworth, Union of Concerned Scientists

Electric car sales pass half a million in U.S. by Anthony Cuthbertson, Newsweek

10 predictions for rooftop solar in 2017 by Barry Cinnamon, GreenTech Media

2016 electric vehicle sales soar: Jumping 80 percent over previous December and 37 percent over 2015 by Gina Coplon-Newfield, Huffington Post

To put this milestone in context, 2016 saw three times the 52,000 EVs sold in the U.S. in 2012 — a major leap for any industry in just four years.

Some EV models had very high year over year jumps from 2015 to 2016: Chevy Volt (60 percent increase), Ford Fusion Energi (63 percent increase), and BMW i3 (44 percent increase).

Craig Morris: “There are lessons to learn from Germany” by The Beam, CleanTechnica

Report: Benefits of state renewable energy policies far outweigh costs by David Ferris, Midwest Energy News

The states most friendly to rooftop solar, ranked by Julian Spector, GreenTech Media

This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell on Twitter or get the Energy Democracy weekly update.