This week in Energy Democracy news:
Across the country, states are acting on distributed solar policy; 45 states and the District of Columbia took some type of action on distributed solar policy in the third quarter of 2018. A new scorecard ranks states on their shared renewables programs, including community solar. Plus, researchers in the midwest are tapping into low-cost, long duration energy storage to support the widespread deployment of renewables.
Featured:
Electricity markets: States reassert authority over power generation by Gavin Bade, Utility Dive
States want the benefits of electricity markets but also want to dictate their outcomes. How federal regulators strike a balance will influence the power mix for decades to come.
Electric Vehicles: The Swiss army knife of the grid by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Can the price of rooftop solar keep falling? By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
The installed price can “fall by around half,” Institute for Local Self-Reliance Energy Program Director John Farrell told Utility Dive in an email. By reducing the soft costs of permitting and financing, rooftop solar prices can be “competitive with retail electricity prices,” he said.
Hurricane Michael Highlights Urgent Need For More Solar Opportunities In Florida by Jake Hiller, Forbes
Renewable energy installments aren’t just beneficial for the climate – they’re also proving more resilient than traditional electricity infrastructure.
Rural America is on the frontlines of low-emissions electricity by Charlie Wood, Science Line
How Your Local Elected Officials Can Support Clean Energy by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
IREC: Where Are The Best And Worst Shared Renewables Programs? By Betsy Lillian, Solar Industry Magazine
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
Arizona
The Battle for Solar Energy in the Country’s Sunniest State by Carolyn Kormann, The New Yorker
Colorado
Colorado utilities turning on to battery power, thanks to dropping prices, advances in technology by Judith Kohler, The Denver Post
Indiana
Even in Indiana, new renewables are cheaper than existing coal plants by Gavin Bade, Utility Dive
Massachusetts
What a New Order Means for Community Solar and Storage in Massachusetts by Austin Perea and Chloe Holden, GreenTech Media
Michigan
High-Stakes Fight Over Rooftop Solar Spreads to Michigan by Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News
Michigan lawmaker proposes going to 100% renewable energy by 2050 by Ryan Stanton, MLive
Renewable energy projects in Michigan up in 2017, but future cloudy by Jay Greene, Crain’s Detroit
Minnesota
Minnesota county studies path to downsize, electrify vehicle fleet by Frank Jossi, Energy News Network
New Hampshire
Veto of net metering bill puts solar projects on hold by David Brooks, Concord Monitor
New York
Solar advocates ask New York to make community solar work better for cities and businesses by Kelsey Misbrener, Utility Dive
State proposes new renewable energy rules by Brian Nearing, Times Union
NY regulators weigh proposals to enhance distributed generation by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Teaching New York the real value of solar by John Weaver, PV magazine
A Solar Movement Grows in New York City by Brian Eckhouse, Bloomberg
New York energy storage: destination clear, road unsure Peter Maloney, Utility Dive
Nevada
Nearly $100M has poured into Question 3 battle in Nevada by Colton Lochhead, Ramona Giwargis and Bill Dentzer, Review Journal
Nevada’s solar industry on the rebound after major changes by Bailey Schulz, Las Vegas Review-Journal
South Dakota
A new frontier in wind energy on Native American land, cultivated by six Sioux tribes by Heather Clancy, GreenBiz
Texas
Federal Alternative Energy Subsidies’ Expiration Date Causes ‘Wind Rush’ in Texas by Kristen Cabrera, Texas Standard
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
Here’s Which States Are Best For Owning An Electric Car by Jim Gorzelany, Forbes
Bill seeks 100% renewable energy generation in Puerto Rico by 2050 by Eva Lloréns Vélez, Caribbean Business
The legislation calls for Puerto Rico to generate power using only renewable energy by 2050 and would end Prepa’s monopoly. It also establishes energy-saving requirements for all agencies, the noncompliance of which could result in the violating agency having its budget cut.
Federal regulators move forward with offshore wind leases off Massachusetts and California by Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
Solar policy report finds a resurgence in proposals for distributed generation customer fees in Q3 by Kelsey Misbrener, Solar Power World
Distributed Solar Policy Actions Happening All Over The Country by Betsy Lillian, Solar Industry Magazine
A total of 157 distributed solar policy actions were taken during Q3 2018, with the most actions taken in Arizona, California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana and Virginia.
Minnesota, New York lead on shared renewables, California, Connecticut fall short by Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
Midwest researchers tap into low-cost, long-duration energy storage by Andy Balaskovitz, Energy News Network
By storing thermal energy in relatively cheap materials, the researchers are looking for a low-cost, long-duration technology to support widespread deployment of renewables.
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!
