community-based renewable energy

17 May 2013

A Community Solar Gold Standard – Episode 9 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

by John Farrell | Date: 17 May 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0

Joy Hughes was living in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, a place with a “tremendous amount of solar potential,” so good that the valley’s residents were being overwhelmed by proposals for large scale solar power plants. One had a “field of things like radar dishes” and another included a “600 foot tower.” The influx of outside companies seeking solar profit led Joy to ask, “Why not just set up solar arrays that can provide power for people in the local community and offset their electric bills?”… Read More

18 Apr 2013

600 Investors in South Dakota’s Premier Community Wind Project – Episode 7 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

by John Farrell | Date: 18 Apr 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0

In April 2013, John Farrell spoke to Brian Minish, CEO of South Dakota Wind Partners about a community wind project that attracted over 600 local investors. The project was the brainchild of four state organizations rooted in rural South Dakota–the East River Electric Cooperative, South Dakota Farm Bureau, South Dakota Farmers Union and South Dakota Corn Growers. Hoping to broaden ownership in a wind farm project proposed by Basin Electric in Crow Lake, these groups worked with Brian to figure out how to add local investors to the mix.… Read More

3 Apr 2013

Los Angeles Utility Goes for Local Solar with 100 MW Feed-In Tariff

by John Farrell | Date: 3 Apr 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0

Officially launched in January after years of development, a new CLEAN (feed-in tariff) program from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (the city’s municipal electric utility) promises 100 MW of new local renewable energy by 2016. In absolute size, the program will be among the largest CLEAN programs in the U.S., but compared to the … Read More

1 Apr 2013

Sustainable: Minnesota’s First Community Solar Project Powers Up

by ILSR | Date: 1 Apr 2013 | posted in: Energy, Media Coverage | 0

Finance & Commerce, April 1, 2013 Bloomington-based TenKSolar is supplying the solar panels for the community solar project run by the Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. So far, more than 170 panels have been sold in four months. Steve Schmidt teaches a college class on renewable energy and always wanted to install solar panels on his Corcoran … Read More

20 Mar 2013

Two Ways Americans May Get More Ownership of their Energy Future

by John Farrell | Date: 20 Mar 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1

Three years ago, the prospects for Americans to own their energy future seemed relatively bleak. There were almost no replicable models for doing community-based energy projects or investment, despite falling costs and technology – solar and wind – that lend themselves to local development. But thanks to recent opportunities in community solar and crowdfunding, we may … Read More

16 Jan 2013

Anya Schoolman – Episode 1 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

by John Farrell | Date: 16 Jan 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 1

What began as a group of neighbors hoping to reduce their impact on global warming has since become a major force for solar advocacy in Washington, DC. The Mount Pleasant Solar Cooperative was started by two teenage boys who wanted to make solar power convenient and affordable through a bulk-purchase program… Read More

9 Oct 2012

Barriers to Distributed Renewable Energy

by John Farrell | Date: 9 Oct 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1

A presentation by ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell to a Disaster Law class at William Mitchell Law School on 9/17/12. It examines the five major barriers to the expansion of community-based and conventional distributed renewable energy, including the tradition of utility control, raising capital, cash flow, legal, and utilities themselves. View the presentation below: Barriers to Distributed … Read More

13 Sep 2012

Energy Democracy: Three Ways to Bring Solar to the Masses

by ILSR | Date: 13 Sep 2012 | posted in: Energy, Media Coverage | 0

Grist Magazine, September 13, 2012 Pollution is not the only thing wrong with the U.S. power system. It is also governed by inconsistent rules and opaque, unaccountable organizations. The average citizen has little understanding of how it works, who is in charge, or how it might change for the better. The financial benefits of electricity, like … Read More

19 Jun 2012

Crowdfunding for Community Power?

by John Farrell | Date: 19 Jun 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 3

Back in April, President Obama signed the JOBS Act and one of the most-heralded elements was so-called crowdfunding. The law sought to solve a major problem: it’s hard to finance small-scale business ventures. Wall Street only cares about multi-million dollar plays and securities regulations make small-dollar projects rather difficult (and costly) to jointly fund. The Act … Read More