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Extremely Comfortable Home Makeovers — Episode 180 of Local Energy Rules

Extremely Comfortable Home Makeovers — Episode 180 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

March 30, 2023

Nate Adams explains how to electrify homes in cold climates, which policies and incentives actually support home electrification, and the problems we must solve to reach net zero emissions by 2050.READ MORE


StarTribune: Utility Lobbying Violates Ratepayers’ Free Speech

StarTribune: Utility Lobbying Violates Ratepayers' Free Speech

Maria McCoy

March 23, 2023

In this commentary from the Minneapolis StarTribune, John Farrell makes a case against monopoly utilities using customer funds for political lobbying. Compelling captive customers to pay for political speech is a violation of their first amendment right, says Farrell.READ MORE


New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q4

New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q4

Maria McCoy

March 16, 2023

8.4 gigawatts of new power generation capacity came online in the fourth quarter of 2022. 60 percent of that total, or nearly six gigawatts, was new solar power. Wind power generation capacity grew steadily with 3.4 gigawatts added.READ MORE


Interconnection and Grid Planning — Episode 179 of Local Energy Rules

Interconnection and Grid Planning — Episode 179 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

March 15, 2023

Sky Stanfield discusses how good interconnection policy and proactive grid planning can capitalize on existing distribution infrastructure for the most cost-effective clean energy transition.READ MORE


Arizona Adopts a Useless Community Solar Policy

Arizona Adopts a Useless Community Solar Policy

Maria McCoy

March 9, 2023

On March 7, the Arizona Corporation Commission adopted a community solar policy statement that takes into account few, if any, stakeholder suggestions. The policy has many fatal flaws and will not spur any community solar development in Arizona.READ MORE


National Community Solar Programs Tracker

National Community Solar Programs Tracker

Maria McCoy

March 8, 2023

20 states have policies allowing some form of community renewable energy. This quarterly update (2022 Q4) shows the capacity built in seven states: Colo., Ill., Mass., Md., Minn., N.J., and N.Y. It focuses on programs in investor-owned utility service territory.READ MORE


Mainstreaming Electric Homes — Episode 178 of Local Energy Rules

Mainstreaming Electric Homes — Episode 178 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

March 1, 2023

Nate Adams and Steve Pantano discuss how education is the foundation for informed decision making, what builds trust between contractors and homeowners, and the additional support needed to make home electrification mainstream.READ MORE


Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard?

Why is Connecting Clean Energy to the Grid So Hard?

John Farrell

February 27, 2023

A terrific Brad Plumer New York Times article highlights the barriers to connecting renewable energy to the grid. This post explains WHY these barriers exist, and how we can overcome them.READ MORE


The 2023 Community Power Scorecard

The 2023 Community Power Scorecard

Maria McCoy

February 23, 2023

Communities can do a lot to advance energy democracy, but some tools must be granted by state policy. This annual scorecard from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative grades states on whether their policies help or hinder local clean energy action.READ MORE


California’s Community Solar Program

California’s Community Solar Program

Priyanka Chaharia

February 22, 2023

California passed a new community renewable energy program in 2022 (AB2316). To maximize benefits to subscribers, 51 percent of which must be low-income households, developers are incentivized to pair community solar with battery storage.READ MORE


Survey Says: Interconnection Data is Unavailable — Episode 177 of Local Energy Rules

Survey Says: Interconnection Data is Unavailable — Episode 177 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

February 15, 2023

Justin Baca and David Gahl discuss how an information gap trips up small solar developers. They also explain their letter to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which asks for more federal data collection from electric utilities and transmission operators.READ MORE


Commission Failed Georgians in Nuclear Fiasco — Episode 176 of Local Energy Rules

Commission Failed Georgians in Nuclear Fiasco — Episode 176 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

February 1, 2023

Patty Durand, candidate for the Georgia Public Service Commission, explains how the Commission failed to protect consumers from the Vogtle nuclear power plant, what Durand will do differently, if she is elected, and why her candidacy faced legal challenges.READ MORE


Who Needs Transmission Wires Anyway? — Episode 175 of Local Energy Rules

Who Needs Transmission Wires Anyway? — Episode 175 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

January 19, 2023

Dan Juhl develops integrated clean energy projects that combine solar, wind, and/or battery storage. He shares how commercial-scale, hybrid solar and wind systems are a “real match” that can circumvent transmission system concerns.READ MORE


Arizona Public Utility Acts Like For-Profit Peers — Episode 174 of Local Energy Rules

Arizona Public Utility Acts Like For-Profit Peers — Episode 174 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

January 4, 2023

Autumn Johnson talks about Salt River Project: a publicly-owned Arizona utility engaged in some shady behavior. The public’s only accountability measure? Board members who are elected by land-owning customers and punished for their dissension.READ MORE


Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best

Why Minnesota's Community Solar Program is the Best

John Farrell

December 22, 2022

Minnesota's community solar program reached 848 megawatts in December 2022, enough to power more than 100,000 homes each year or about as much capacity as a typical nuclear power plant!READ MORE