This week in Energy Democracy news:
A new Bloomberg report has electric vehicles projected to become mainstream by 2040, we check in on the status of Michigan’s rooftop solar industry, and nationwide, U.S. mayors are rallying to commit to Paris Agreement standards.
Featured Stories:
Electric Cars Will Outsell Gas Competitors by 2040, BNEF Says by Georgina Gustin, InsideClimate News
U.S. Mayors Back 100% Renewable Energy, Vow to Fill Climate Leadership Void by Nicholas Kusnetz, InsideClimate News
The United States Conference of Mayors, which includes both Republican and Democratic mayors from cities across the nation, adopted a series of resolutions that are far more assertive than federal climate policy, including a pledge supporting cities’ adoption of 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.
How America can declare independence from dirty energy by Grist staff, Grist.org
Sparking Grid Savings at Home Report: Part 1 – Big Potential Savings by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Sparking Grid Savings At Home Report: Part 2 — Deepening Of Peak Energy Reduction In Homes by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
San Francisco Strides Toward An All-Renewable Future by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program Is The Best by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
California
Better DER Approach Needed, Calif. Agencies Told by Jason Fordney, RTO Insider
Colorado
Demand for Chevy’s electric cars is higher in Colorado than nation as new Bolt EV debuts by Tamara Chuang, the Denver Post
Hawaii
Tradition, culture guide Hawaii’s 100 percent renewables quest by Anya Khalamayzer, Green Biz
Finding the comfortable place in the sun by HJ Mai, Pacific Business News (Honolulu)
Illinois
Close call for Illinois solar program funding by Mark Burger, PV Magazine
Iowa
Iowa State worked with utilities to uproot key energy center by Ryan J. Foley, the Associated Press
Kentucky
Lexington homeless shelter converting to solar energy by Monica Kast, Lexington Herald Leader
Maine
Project may double MDI’s solar output by Liz Graves, Mount Desert Islander
Massachusetts
Concord okays solar power to be cut from property tax by David Brooks, Concord Monitor
Michigan
Forum addresses clean energy, more by News-Review Staff, Petoskey News-ReviewAnn
Arbor considers extra $2.3M tax incentive for solar in new development by Ryan Stanton, M Live
Ann Arbor seeks houses of worship to go solar in national challenge by Jordyn Hermani, Ann Arbor news
To help meet Ann Arbor’s goal of the city generating 2.4 megawatts per year of solar energy, the city is partnering with Michigan Interfaith Power and Light (MIIPL) to install solar panels on eligible places of worship.
Evidence piles up: Michigan says solar users benefit state’s grid by Frank Andorka, PV Magazine
Minnesota
Minnesota community solar receives boost from U.S. Solar funding by Frank Andorka, PV Magazine
“Minnesota is booming because of community solar, the solar energy standard and a strong commission holding the line on fair compensation for solar producers,” said John Farrell, director of democratic energy for the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), based in Minnesota. “When you combine those kinds of factors, we can see that there’s a huge opportunity for low-cost solar to provide power where the grid can use it.”
Minnesota community solar projects aimed at low-income subscribers by Frank Jossi, Midwest Energy News
Montana
Montana solar energy threatened by Marta Meengs, The Missoulian
New Hampshire
N.H. Utilities Commission Lifts Limits on Solar Net-Metering by Jason Moon, New Hampshire Public Radio
New Hampshire PUC revises net-metering program by Ethan Howland, American Public Power Association
Four local towns look to harness power of the sun; others already have by Meghan Foley, The Keene Sentinel
Southwestern New Hampshire is on its way to becoming a solar-power mecca, with four communities at various stages of capturing energy from the sun, while others already have.
New York
Energy Storage Industry Hopes for Stroke of Gov. Cuomo’s Pen by Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
North Carolina
North Carolina Legislature Approves Major Renewable Energy Reform Bill by Brett Breitschwerdt, Adam Greene, Jay Hughes, Marvin Rogers, and Michael Woodard, JD Supra
Ohio
Advocates want more from Hamilton solar power plan, by Mike Rutledge, Hamilton Journal-News
Hamilton, which operates its own utilities, is moving toward buying electricity from residents who generate solar power on their properties, and this week held a public-input meeting to see what people think about the rules the city may implement.
Oregon
Industry Groups Praise Oregon’s Move Toward Community Solar by Joseph Bebon, Solar Industry Mag
Oregon sets rules for 160 MW of community solar by Christian Roselund, PV Magazine
Texas
Value of rooftop solar up for debate again in El Paso by Ryan Maye Handy, Houston Chronicle
Vermont
Trash to treasure? Group looking at landfill for solar project by Mike Eldred, The Deerfield Valley News
Wilmington considers solar pitch by Chris Mays, the Brattleboro Reformer
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
Keys to developing an effective utility EV charging program by Dave Packard, Utility Dive
UPS looks to add more green vehicles to its fleet by 2025, by Ankit Ajmera, Reuters
The Change of The Power Grid, Thanks to Elon by Linda Johnson, TrendinTech
Tesla is a bit ahead of the curve, but [it is]… aiding the build of a new system where anyone can generate energy in addition to using it, and where batteries in houses or with utility companies can store electricity when it’s in abundance and share it out when it’s lacking.
Updated: 17 States Now Charge Fees for Electric Vehicles by Julian Spector and Julia Pyper, Green Tech Media
“We see this as a concerning trend,” Gina Coplon-Newfield, director of the electric vehicles initiative at the Sierra Club, told CNBC. “We certainly want to see funding raised to support roads and bridges and transit. […] But penalizing electric vehicle drivers is not the way to solve this problem.”
BMW Tests Electric Cars as Power Grid Stabilizers by Leslie Kaufman, InsideClimate News
Michigan Tech Study Says Solar Saves Lives, Money by Photonics.com staff, Photonics Media
“Unlike other public health investments, you get more than lives saved,” said Joshua Pearce, a professor of materials science and electrical engineering at Michigan Tech. “In addition to saving lives, solar is producing electricity, which has economic value.”
Senate fast-tracks new version of bipartisan energy reform bill by Gavin Bade, Utility Dive
This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell on Twitter or get the Energy Democracy weekly update.
