Energy Democracy Media Roundup — Week of October 15, 2018

Date: 17 Oct 2018 | posted in: Energy | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This week in Energy Democracy news: 

Several states pushed ahead with ambitious renewable energy goals. In Arizona, regulators are planning to adopt an 80% clean energy plan while Minnesota adds an incentive to attract residential customers to community solar. Since 2008, at least 35 programs have been started nationwide to improve solar power access to low income communities. Plus, Massachusetts is ranked the most energy efficient state.

 

Featured:

Reverse power flows by John Farrell, PV Magazine

For one hundred years, most, if not all, meaningful electricity system decisions passed through utility boardrooms or regulatory hearing rooms. California’s growing number of solar owners––and the rise of competitive storage––suggest that era is over.

100% Renewable Energy: Cleveland Sets a Big Goal as It Sheds Its Fossil Fuel Past by Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News

Trump’s Import Tariffs Will Make U.S. Wind Power More Expensive by Jim Efstathiou Jr, Bloomberg

Massachusetts ranked most energy efficient state, Wyoming worst: study by Miranda Green, The Hill

The coastal states’ investments in energy saving targets, electric vehicles and efficient building standards helped them lead the annual study by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

Solar Finds Its Place in the Sun Among America’s Poor by Molly Fosco, Ozy

As recently as 2008, there were no programs that were effectively providing solar power to low- and middle-income communities…Today, there are at least 35 programs nationwide aimed specifically at providing affordable clean energy to low-income homes, according to the Clean Energy States Alliance.

Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best by John Farrell, CleanTechnica

Voices Of 100%: Shifting The Paradigm Toward Renewable Power In Pueblo, Colo. by John Farrell, CleanTechnica

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Energy Democracy News Across the States:

Arizona

Arizona regulator wants to adopt 80% clean energy plan before gas moratorium ends by Robert Walton, Utility Dive

 

DC

DC’s aggressive clean energy bill gets initial hearing by Jason Plautz, Utility Dive

 

California

Auto giants and California team up for electric vehicle push by Ben Gemen, Axios

California decision means higher costs for community choice programs by Robert Walton, Utility Dive

 

Indiana

Advocates: Indiana’s energy future shouldn’t be written by utilities only by Jeff Brooks-Gillies, Energy News Network

 

Iowa

Iowa, already a leader on wind, looks to take the next steps on storage by
Karen Uhlenhuth, Energy News Network

Could solar be a better deal than demand response for Iowa customers? by Karen Uhlenhuth, Utility Dive

 

Massachusetts

Baker, Gonzalez agree to offshore wind pledge by Colin A, Gloucester Daily Times

Boston businesses want commitment to electrify city’s transit system by Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network

 

Minnesota

Twin Cities transit agency pumps the brakes on diesel, hybrid bus order by Frank Jossi, Energy News Network

Minnesota’s community solar rush largely ignored homeowners. Could a new incentive change that? By Frank Jossi, Energy News Network

Incentive approved for residential customers who choose solar gardens for energy by Mike Hughlett, Star Tribune

Report: State Buildings, Fleets Making Progress Toward Sustainability Goals, CBS Minnesota

 

New Hampshire

Advocates Draft Roadmap for Renewable Energy in N.H. by Annie Ropeik, NHPR

 

New Jersey

New Jersey Ranked ‘Most Improved’ State for Energy Efficiency by Tom Johnson, NJ Spotlight

What To Know About New Jersey’s New Community Solar Program by Dana Hall & Stephen Kisker, Solar Industry Magazine

 

New York

New York offers US$40 million to spur C&I and community solar-plus-storage projects by Tom Kenning, Energy Storage News

 

Nevada

Brattle: Nevada could cost-effectively deploy 1 GW of energy storage by 2030 By Peter Maloney, Utility Dive

 

North Carolina

Duke Energy Blamed for Arsenic Pollution in Second North Carolina River by Jim Efstathiou Jr, Bloomberg

 

South Carolina

Solar heats up in S.C. as business installations surge by Andy Owens, Charleston Regional Business Journal

 

Texas

West Texas electricity grid is buckling under the pressure of Permian Basin power usage, Dallas News

An uncertain future for America’s wind energy capital by Kristian Hernández, The Center for Public Integrity

 

Vermont

PUC ponders low-income access to electric vehicles by Elizabeth Gribkoff, Vermont Digger

 

Virginia

Virginia’s energy plan calls for 2 GW of offshore wind by 2028 by Plamena Tisheva, Renewables Now

Gov. Northam’s energy plan pushes renewables, efficiency, modernizing the electric grid by Tamara Dietrich, The Daily Press

 

Washington

Washington regulators approve tight rules on community solar by Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive

 

Nationwide Energy Democracy News:

FirstEnergy Solutions can retire 4,004 MW of fossil generation without reliability impact: PJM by Jared Anderson, S&P Global

ISO-NE to focus on market solutions for winter energy security in 2019 by Robert Walton, Utility Dive

Puerto Ricans want a clean and just energy future by Nithin Coca, Equal Times

“A just energy transition is key not only to solve the climate crisis but also to empower communities to manage their own energy systems, create their own employment opportunities and guarantee access to clean energy for everyone,” says Odeh.

No free lunch for renewables: More wind power would warm US by Seth Borenstein, Associated Press

The researchers and other scientists stressed that climate change from greenhouse gas emissions is clearly a far bigger threat globally and over the long term than turbine-caused warming, which is temporary and stops when the blades aren’t turning.

Are regulators hindering EV acceleration? By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive

Utilities and state regulators are working to scale up charging infrastructure, finding that interoperability is key.

 

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!

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