This week in Energy Democracy news:
Solar energy now accounts for more than 10% of electricity in five states. California’s Assembly passed a bill committing the state to 100% renewable energy sources by 2045. In Utah, rooftop solar installations dropped 23 percent in one year due to the rollback of net metering. Across the country, 19 city mayors signed a pledge to ensure buildings operate at net-zero carbon.
Featured:
Reverse Power Flow: How Solar+Batteries Shift Electric Grid Decision Making From Utilities To Consumers (In Depth) by John Farrell, CleanTechnica
Online tool helps Northeast states coordinate EV charging network by Marie Cusick, Energy News Network
Modernizing renewables mandates is no longer about the megawatts by Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
The power system is being transformed from reliance on coal and nuclear generation to reliance on natural gas and utility-scale renewables. That transformation is driven primarily by low natural gas and renewables prices, but the mandates that drove renewables prices down are, despite their success, being reconsidered.
Surging Demand for Electric Vehicles by Richard Stubbe, Bloomberg
US military pushes clean energy with largest on-base battery by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Trump’s New Coal Rules Will Hit Poor and Black People Hardest by Alex Lubben, Vice
The EPA said the shift will result in 1,400 additional premature deaths each year due to pollution. But here’s what it didn’t say: the EPA’s own research shows that those deaths will fall disproportionately on poor and minority communities in places like southwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Missouri.
Western States Could Save $600 Million By Using More Renewable Energy by Jake Richardson, CleanTechnica
RMI found the coop’s customers could save over $600 million through 2030 if the co-op integrated more renewable energy resources instead of relying on its array of fossil fuel power plants. The savings could be realized by avoiding the operating expenses and fixed costs of the coop’s fossil-fuel power plants.
Energy Democracy News Across the States:
Arizona
Trial Begins Over Renewable Energy Proposal in Arizona, Associated Press
Navajo Nation solar facility expansion expected to double power output, Ktar.com
California
California Assembly advances 100% clean energy bill by Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times
Lawmakers unlikely to give California utilities slack in wildfire liability rules, LA Times reports by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
California paradox: SUVs sell briskly, but so do electric cars by David Baker, San Francisco Chronicle
California Passes Bill Requiring Diablo Canyon Plant to Be Replaced With Carbon-Free Resources by Jeff St. John, GreenTech Media
35 California mayors sign on to support 100% EV state transit proposal by Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
California passes bill to coordinate EV charger planning by Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
$1 Billion Program Aims To Put Solar On Low Income Multifamily Housing In California by Kyle Field, CleanTechnica
Hawaii
Hawaii’s Solar Industry Calls Tropical Storm Lane a ‘Wake-Up Call’ Emma Foehringer Merchant, Green Tech Media
Illinois
Solar Power Legislation In Illinois Could Generate $250-350 Million In Tax Revenue by Jake Richardson, CleanTechnica
Kansas
Kansas utilities’ proposed new fees could wipe out savings for some solar customers by Karen Uhlenhuth, Energy News Network
Kentucky
As Kentucky regulators reject smart meter plans, troubling trend continues for AMI by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, solar developers linger amid financial uncertainty by Sarah Shemkus, Energy News Network
Distributed storage to yield $2-3 of grid savings for each dollar spent by William Driscoll, PV Magazine
New York
Tech That Turns Lamp Posts Into Electric-Car Chargers Coming To NYC, Drift
New York unveils new toolkit to drive solar on brownfields by Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
Cuomo Urged to Restore Net Metering by Andrea Sears, Public News Service – NY
Ohio
Ohio No. 2 on federal list of new distributed wind power capacity by Megan Henry, The Columbus Dispatch
Exclusive: Ohio PUC details utility reform roadmap in PowerForward initiative by Iulia Gheorghiu, Utility Dive
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania industrial energy users say follow Minnesota on rate design by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Pennsylvania regulators seek alternative ratemaking proposals from utilities by Robert Walton, Utility Dive
Philadelphia sets path to reduce GHG emissions 80% by 2050 by Jason Plautz, Utility Dive
Two roads diverging: Pennsylvania lawmakers rethink their renewables mandate by Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
Texas
US: 86% of Texas’ future capacity will comprise solar or wind, zero coal by John Weaver, PV Magazine
Utah
Utah Rooftop Solar Installations Dropped About 23 percent in 1 year by Liesl Nielsen, KSL.com
Vermont
$150,000 VLITE grant will ensure power reliability for low income GMP customers, Vermont Biz
Solar creates savings amid heat wave, but industry growth cools by Elizabeth Gribkoff, Vermont Digger
Wyoming
This Coal State Holds The Key To 100% Renewable Energy by Tina Casey, CleanTechnica
Nationwide Energy Democracy News:
Solar now makes up more than 10% of electricity in five states by Christian Roselund, PV Magazine
Massachusetts has joined California, Hawaii, Nevada and Vermont in the club of states where solar represents 10% or more of in-state generation. Solar made up 2.4% of total generation in the United States during the first half of 2018, with solar and wind together making up slightly less than 10%.
US Conference of Mayors condemns EPA Clean Power Plan replacement by Chris Teale, Utility Dive
Are regulators starting to rethink fixed charges? By Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive
The U.S. is on the verge of an offshore wind revolution By Jan Ellen Spiegel, Yale Climate Connections
19 mayors commit to make all buildings net-zero carbon by 2050 by Kristin Musulin, Utility Dive
Mayors from 19 cities signed the Net Zero Carbon Buildings Declaration on Thursday, a pledge to ensure new buildings operate at net-zero carbon by 2030, with all buildings following suit by 2050. The mayors have also pledged to “owning, occupying and developing only assets that are net-zero carbon in operation” by 2030.
Pollinator habitats: The bees’ knees of rural solar development by Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
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!