All Posts
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
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
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
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
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
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
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?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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