3 Feb 2017

Thanks to Co-op, Small Iowa Town Goes Big On Solar

by | Date: 3 Feb 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Nestled in the gently rolling hills of southeastern Iowa, it’s at first difficult to tell what sets Kalona apart from countless similar places on the Midwestern landscape. Small towns like these form the backbone of a region whose economy depends on a rich farming tradition, even well into the 21st century.

But Kalona’s charm doesn’t obscure the innovation that makes it a national leader in clean power generation. In this small community, where many Amish and Mennonite families shun electricity and cars, solar power has proliferated. In fact, the Kalona area is a surprising national leader in solar power generation.… Read More
20 Jun 2016

ILSR’s Distributed Solar Capacity Quarterly Update (2016 Q1)

by | Date: 20 Jun 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Solar made up over a half of the added power plant capacity during the first quarter of 2016. With over 800 MW (AC) coming from distributed solar, this year is shaping up to be another banner year for renewable energy. See previous … Read More
14 Mar 2016

ILSR’s Distributed Solar Capacity Quarterly Update (2015 Q4)

by | Date: 14 Mar 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

It was the biggest quarter ever for solar, which supplied one-third of over 7.3 gigawatts of new power plant capacity added to the grid. Distributed solar kept pace, with 832 megawatts (AC) added in the last three months of 2015! … Read More
14 Dec 2015

ILSR’s Distributed Solar Capacity Quarterly Update

by | Date: 14 Dec 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Renewable energy continues to dominate new power plant capacity and distributed generation has contributed an increasingly large share. We’ve been tracking this phenomenon since April of 2014, and, finally, the Energy Information Administration has recognized the prevalence of distributed solar … Read More
11 Sep 2015

Ever Greater Share of New Power from Distributed Solar

by | Date: 11 Sep 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Second quarter data from the Energy Information Administration and the Solar Energy Industries Association came out this week and distributed solar continues its surging growth. Over 650 megawatts (MW) of new distributed solar capacity was grid connected between April and … Read More
4 Aug 2015

To Lease or To Own: Simplified Solar Calculator

by | Date: 4 Aug 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Now simplified, the new solar lease calculator is here. Just enter in your zip code, electric utility, and solar array size. Then set the terms of your loan or lease to see how solar ownership stacks up against third-party options. … Read More
17 Jul 2015

Utility Solar May Cost Less, But It’s Also Worth Less

by | Date: 17 Jul 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A new report released this week asserts that utility-scale solar is much more economical than small-scale solar. The clear implication is that we should let incumbent utilities build or buy solar from large-scale arrays instead of allowing customers to generate … Read More
16 Jul 2015

Solar for All: An Article of Faith – Episode 26 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

by | Date: 16 Jul 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States, Podcast | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Minnesota’s community solar garden program may be the envy of the nation — once the utility’s stall tactics have been stopped — but it needs a little help to fulfill the vision of bringing solar to all. That’s where Julia … Read More
3 Jul 2015

Democratic Energy Media Roundup – week of July 3, 2015

by | Date: 3 Jul 2015 | posted in: Energy | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This week in Democratic Energy: Solar Energy Amendment moves forward in Florida New grid fees threaten Minnesota renewable energy producers. New York is poised to become the cleanest state in the US. Featured Stories The U.S. solar industry is shifting … Read More

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