The History and Hope for a First-in-the-Nation City-Utility Clean Energy Partnership

Date: 17 Nov 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In the past month, the city of Minneapolis and its two investor-owned utilities adopted the nation’s first clean energy partnership, with a wide range of goals including meeting the city’s ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. How did it happen and what can it accomplish? The following 8-minute video from one of the “lead rabble rousers” … Read More

California’s AB 2145 Undermines Clean Energy, Local Economies, and Majority Rule

Date: 13 Jun 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 6 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A powerful law in six states gives communities the power to choose their energy suppliers and direct their energy dollars toward local energy production. Two of the most prominent examples of this policy in action are in California, Marin Clean Energy and Sonoma Clean Power, and they’re offering electric customers better pricing with much more renewable … Read More

Could Minnesota’s “Value of Solar” Make Everyone a Winner?

Date: 13 Mar 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 7 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On Wednesday, Minnesota became the first state to allow utilities a new method of contracting with distributed solar producers, called the market-based “value of solar.” If adopted by utilities, it will fundamentally change the relationship between solar-producing customers and their electric utility. Following Minnesota’s Value of Solar Process? Here are a few resources: Part 1 and … Read More

Lessons from Minnesota – a Solar Success (Presentation)

Date: 16 Jul 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This presentation by Director of Democratic Energy John Farrell shows the politics, process, and policy that led to Minnesota becoming the 17th state with a solar or distributed renewable energy standard in 2013.  Delivered to a webinar audience of Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress (OREP) on July 16, 2013, it explains the new solar standard, the … Read More

8 Vivid Charts – 8 Reasons for a Solar Energy Standard in Minnesota

Date: 13 May 2013 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A conference committee is resolving differences between House and (much weaker) Senate versions of a solar energy standard in Minnesota today.  Here’s 8 graphic reasons why the state should go for solar as aggressively as it can. 8 Vivid Charts – 8 Reasons for a Solar Energy Standard in Minnesota from John Farrell

Barriers to Distributed Renewable Energy

Date: 9 Oct 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 1 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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

Map of State 3rd Party PPA Rules

Date: 9 May 2012 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 2 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In lieu of smarter policy, schools, libraries, and city buildings hoping to install solar power have to resort to complex public-private partnerships to access federal tax incentives.  One common strategy is the power purchase agreement (PPA). In essence, a PPA allows the public building owner to buy solar electricity on contract from a third party (instead … Read More

Ireland Bans Superstores

Date: 1 Jan 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Irish government has made permanent a temporary cap on the size of retail stores in effect since 1998. The new law restricts stores in the Dublin area to 3,500 square meters (38,000 sq. ft.) and applies a 3,000 square meter (32,000 sq. ft.) limit to the rest of the country. The policy also requires that new retail stores be located in town centers. … Read More

States Collaborate On Equitable Sales Tax System

Date: 1 Jan 2001 | posted in: Retail | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In December, representatives of the 29 states participating in the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP) approved model legislation that they hope state legislatures will adopt this year. If enacted, the legislation would move states one step closer to a sales tax system that applies equally to both traditional and electronic retailers. A US Supreme Court ruling bars states from requiring remote sellers, including mail order and internet companies, to collect sales tax. … Read More