This week in Energy Democracy news:
By 2050, solar panel prices are likely to drop in half, meaning solar could account for 40% of the world’s electricity. Arkansas is planning to allow third-party financing for solar installations, despite pushback from utilities. Electric busses will hit the road in Hawaii as the state takes steps towards reaching it’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045.
Featured:
Solar to be world’s largest power source by 2050 as cost halves by Leigh Collins, Recharge News
The powerful economies of scale in PV are likely to see costs in 2050 at half of today’s levels — enabling additional investments in grid expansion and integration technologies such as storage, connectivity, and demand-response that increase the value of solar assets
Midwestern and Northern Tier contractors put up 250 MW of small-scale solar by William Driscoll, pv magazine
Solar Panels are the New iPhone: Imagining a Distributed Energy Future by Spencer Fields, Mother Earth News
In 1994, only 10% of Americans had a cell phone. And yet, in 15 short years, more Americans had cell phones than landlines. While the rapid adoption of mobile phones can’t be attributed to a single factor, there is one major parallel between the transition from landlines to smart phones and what’s actively happening today in the electricity industry: the transition from a centralized system to a distributed (or decentralized) network.
Southwestern U.S.: from laggard to leader on climate by Benjamin Storrow, E&E News
The developments represented a striking shift for American climate efforts. Climate policy, long dominated at the state level by California and a handful of Northeastern states, had stagnated in Nevada and New Mexico until recently.
Don’t-Miss Opportunity For Local Choice In Landmark Carbon-Free Bills by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
Alabama
Rebuild Alabama bill puts state on cutting edge of electric vehicle infrastructure by Sean Ross, Yellowhammer News
Arkansas
Fayetteville Breaks Ground on State’s Largest Municipal Solar Power System, Arkansas Money & Politics
How Arkansas eliminated third-party solar barriers in a red state by Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
Florida
Jacksonville Electric Authority and EDF Renewables sign DER agreement by Philip Gordon, Smart Energy
Hawaii
First electric bus fleet hits Honolulu streets by Tovin Lapan, Travel Weekly
Michigan
As Detroit studies solar potential, residents focus on community benefits by Andy Balaskovitz, Energy News Network
Michigan ALJ proposes solar compromise in DTE rate case by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Nebraska
Supportive energy policy shines spotlight on rural Nebraska by Lu Nelson, The Grand Island Independent
New York
New York PSC caps community solar early termination fees by Kelsey Misbrener, Solar Power World
South Carolina
SC Energy Freedom Act offers lower costs, cleaner energy, more jobs and local investment by Sen. Tom Davis and Rep. Peter McCoy, Island Packet
Tennessee
BrightRidge gets into broadband, solar services by Robert Houk, Johnson City Press
Texas
Solar storage project in West Texas should boost value of solar power by L.M. Sixel, Houston Chronicle
Vermont
16 towns pass Town Meeting climate change resolutions by Ellie French, VT Digger
Wisconsin
Madison receives state grant to buy 20 electric vehicles by Abigail Becker, The Cap Times
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
Utilities shouldn’t build ONE MORE natural gas power plant. (The economic argument) by John Farrell, Red, Green and Blue
Massachusetts and California Rank High in Energy Democracy: Report by Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge
Massachusetts, California, New York and Illinois are the top four states for energy democracy, as ranked by their commitment to boosting community-level renewable energy, according to a second annual Community Power Scorecard.
Indiana Michigan Power Announces Program For Electric Vehicles, WSJM
Solar Is Gaining in Wind Markets as the PTC Steps Down by Emma Foehringer Merchang, Green Tech Media
Growth of the solar industry is inching into traditional wind markets, and developers are taking note
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!
