Utilities Aren’t Telling the Whole Truth About Solar Costs
Electric utilities recently admitted that they often misrepresent the cost of solar energy to serve their own profit interests.… Read More
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2023 Q2
Nearly 11 gigawatts of new power generation capacity came online in the second quarter of 2023. Over half of that capacity was solar power (5.5 gigawatts), about a third was fossil gas (3.8 gigawatts), and the rest was wind (1.5 gigawatts).… Read More
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2023 Q1
Eight gigawatts of new power generation capacity came online in the first quarter of 2023. For the third quarter in a row, over half of new generation was solar power (4.5 GW) with the rest from fossil gas (2 GW) and wind (1.5 GW).… Read More
Minnesota’s Community Solar Program
10 years after Minnesota enabled community solar, a 2023 policy has expanded the program. It also introduced new rules and limitations. This post explains the policy and compiles additional Minnesota community solar resources.… Read More
The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2022 Update
How much of the U.S. solar fleet is made up of smaller, distributed sources that help communities build local wealth? This 2022 update examines the size of state solar markets and the saturation of distributed and community solar systems.… Read More
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q4
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
Feds Should Collect Better Data for Fairer Markets and Energy Justice
Today the Institute for Local Self-Reliance was joined by joined by 24 utility justice, consumer advocate, and environmental organizations in submitting comments urging the Energy Information Administration to incorporate interconnection and utility shutoffs data.… Read More
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q3
U.S. developers installed 5.8 gigawatts of electric generation capacity in the third quarter of 2022: one third small solar (setting yet another quarterly record), one third large solar, and the final third split between fossil gas and wind generation resources.… Read More
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q2
10 gigawatts of new power generation capacity went online in the second quarter of 2022. Most of the generation capacity buildout this quarter came from renewable resources, including record small solar installation, but 39 percent was from gas plant construction.… Read More