A new report shows how electric utilities and policymakers are creating unexpected delays and added costs for solar projects and slowing the growth of local solar, based on our first ever survey of solar developers.… Read More
Yesterday’s news about the Paris Climate Accords has provoked a groundswell of commitments for local action on climate change. But what can cities actually do in the absence of federal support? A lot. In fact, with the help of states, cities have many avenues to boost their economies and drive down energy costs with local clean … Read More
Solar and wind projects can mean big bucks for communities – but only if they keep them local!
Why does ownership of renewable energy matter? Because the number of jobs and economic returns for communities are substantially higher when electricity generation from wind and sun can be captured by local hands.… Read More
An updated version of this report, released in June 2023, is available here. Solar and wind projects can mean big bucks for communities – but only if they keep them local! That’s a key takeaway from Advantage Local: Why Local Energy Ownership Matters, a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR). The report … Read More
What can an individual city or town do to fight climate change? A lot! View these slides from a presentation by ILSR’s Director of Democratic Energy John Farrell to the Northfield Climate Summit on January 18, 2014, to see what one small Minnesota town has done, what other steps it can take as part of the … Read More
Minneapolis, MN (October 7, 2013) – The economy has stalled and so has the war on climate change. But a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance describes how dozens of cities are boosting their local economies while dramatically reducing greenhouse gases. City Power Play: 8 Practical Local Energy Policies to Boost the Economy reports … Read More
This report details eight practical energy policies cities can and have used to their economic advantage… Read More
A vividly visual summary of our newest report, City Power Play: 8 Practical Local Energy Policies to Boost the Economy, this presentation covers eight powerful policies and practices that cities have employed to reduce energy use, save money, and create local jobs, all without waiting for someone else to act. It provides short case studies of … Read More
Going solar keeps getting cheaper, but most of the cost savings have come from less expensive solar panels. “Soft costs,” like permitting and inspections, are a rising share of the cost of a solar installation. Several years ago, these permits could increase the cost of a residential solar project (then around $8.00 per Watt) by 5-10% … Read More
