This week in Energy Democracy news:
Arizona’s new dueling ballots initiatives are scrapped (for now).
Yet more arguments for cities to lead the way on energy transformation.
Massachusetts raises it’s net metering cap.
Featured Stories:
Rooftop solar cease-fire takes ballot measures off table for now by Ryan Randazzo and Mary Jo Pitzi, AZ Central
Did FERC smash the biggest roadblock to clean, local power for electric co-ops? by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Why states and cities must lead the way on climate change by Bill Ritter, Wall Street Journal
States create energy building codes; localities enforce them. Cities establish the zoning that governs sprawl. They make mobility investments that can simultaneously save adults from traffic jams and children from asthma. State commissions regulate investor-owned electric utilities and the policies that either reward or punish customers who want to produce their own power. Legislatures decide whether to establish goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy. In fact, the renewable energy standards put into effect by nearly 30 states in recent years deserve much of the credit for the rapid growth of solar and wind power in America.
Small Ohio town to feature large distributed solar & storage by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Legislature passes Solar Energy Bill, lifts net metering cap by Wicked Local – Medford
Instead of lobbying, top 25 utilities could have doubles US solar capacity by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Energy Democracy News in the States
Alabama
Alabama among sunny states blocking solar power, according to new report by Dennis Pillion, Alabama.com
Arizona
Solar net metering supporters rally at Capitol by Ryan Randazzo, AZ Central
Measure allows utilities to charge separate rates for solar customers by Howard Fischer, Tucson.com
On a party-line vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to require state utility regulators to set separate rates for their solar customers from those who buy all their electricity directly from the power company. Sen. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, who admitted she got utility help in crafting the measure, said she sees HCR 2041 as ensuring solar customers pay their fair share of costs.
The proposed constitutional amendment does not prohibit the Arizona Corporation Commission from requiring utilities to purchase the excess electricity that homeowners and businesses generate. But it spells out that the utilities cannot be forced to pay anything more than wholesale costs, even as they may be selling it back to a next-door neighbor at retail rates.
Rooftop solar cease-fire takes ballot measures off table for now by Ryan Randazzo and Mary Jo Pitzi, AZ Central
Solar cease-fire: Arizona solar advocates and lawmakers drop dueling ballot initiatives by Glenn Meyers, Planet Save
Solar advocates take office at SRP by Ryan Randazzo, AZ Central
Inside the deal that averted a net metering ballot showdown in Arizona by Herman K. Trabish, UtilityDive
ACC approves Tucson Electric Power’s bid to increase renewable energy, sans utility-owned solar by Glenn Meyers, Planet Save
California
A top utility regulator talks about how to prepare California for 50% renewable energy by Stephen Lacey, GreenTech Media
Colorado
Why states and cities must lead the way on climate change by Bill Ritter, Wall Street Journal
States create energy building codes; localities enforce them. Cities establish the zoning that governs sprawl. They make mobility investments that can simultaneously save adults from traffic jams and children from asthma. State commissions regulate investor-owned electric utilities and the policies that either reward or punish customers who want to produce their own power. Legislatures decide whether to establish goals for energy efficiency and renewable energy. In fact, the renewable energy standards put into effect by nearly 30 states in recent years deserve much of the credit for the rapid growth of solar and wind power in America.
Hawaii
Hawaii lawmakers push renewable energy storage incentives by Cathy Bussewitz, Washington Times
Illinois
Galena City Council approves City Hall solar project by John Kruse, Telegraph Herald
Iowa
Iowa rural co-op goes 100% ‘carbon-free’ with renewable credits by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News
Iowa legislators object to proposed higher rates for solar customers by Karen Uhlenhuth, Midwest Energy News
Maine
5 myths people hold about solar power in Maine by Sharon Klein, Bangor Daily News
Maine would benefit from solar power by Paul Liebow, Sun Journal
Maine legislators push to override veto of controversial solar policy by Christian Roselund, PV Magazine
Massachusetts
Legislature passes Solar Energy Bill, lifts net metering cap by Wicked Local – Medford
A commitment to solar progress by Rep. Kate Hogan and Rep. Carolyn Dykema, MetroWest Daily News
Minnesota
Minnesota’s true costs of pollution by Phil Murray, MinnPost
Stearns board’s solar decision makes sense by St. Cloud Times Editorial Board
Montana
Solar gardens grow slowly out West by Mark Jaffe, High Country News
New Hampshire
TASC commends Governor Hassan’s commitment to solar net metering in New Hampshire by The Alliance for Solar Choice, PR Newswire
New York
Farmer wins battle with Central Hudson over solar by John Fero, Poughkeepsie Journal
Continued growth of solar power may hang on changes in government incentives by David Robinson, The Buffalo News
Nevada
Panel agrees existing solar customers should pay old power rate by Daniel Rothberg, Las Vegas Sun
Oregon
Oregon regulators set ambitious timeline for clean energy programs by Robert Walton, UtilityDive
Texas
PEC to build solar generation sites across Hill Country by KVUE
RES Distributed, Texas co-op partner on community solar project by Solar Industry Magazine
Wisconsin
Western Wisconsin schools adding solar power through Dairyland Power program by La Crosse Tribune Staff
Renewable energy produced by the solar arrays will help power the schools, the release said, partially offsetting the current energy use by the facilities. Each school will have access to online tools that will enable teachers and students to monitor the total and hourly output of the array, environmental benefits delivered and many other metrics.
Nationwide Energy Democracy News
New report: Rooftop solar power blocked by sunny states with bad policy by Ryan Greer, Center for Biological Diversity
Renewables offer glimmer of hope for isolated reservations by Abby Kessler, E&E Publishing
What does a microgrid cost? by Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge
Pivoting to a distributed energy world by Drew Murphy, The Energy Times
Distributed generation to total almost 500 GW this year by Tildy Bayar, Decentralized Energy
How microgrids may transform the future of energy by Michael McDonald, Oil Price
Community solar: An unlikely utility savior? by Roberto Labastida, GreenBiz
Department of Energy program aims to bump solar costs even lower by David J. Unger, InsideClimate News
We’ve been mayors of New York, Paris and Rio. We know climate action starts with cities by Michael Bloomberg, Anne Hidalgo, and Eduardo Paes; The Guardian
To us, the case is clear. Actions to reduce carbon emissions in urban areas are expected to be a $17tn global economic opportunity by 2050 based on energy savings alone. Those efforts will save lives, because air pollution contributes to more than 10,000 premature deaths each day. Mass transit can help reduce traffic accidents, and also increase economic activity by reducing congestion. And pedestrianizing key areas – such as the river banks in Paris in the summer – can improve quality of life for urban dwellers.
America has 1 million solar installations. Will the next million reach low-income communities? by Erica Mackie, GreenTech Media
