How States and Cities Can Unlock Local Clean Energy

Date: 2 Jun 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

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

MD Bill Introduced That Names ILSR to State Task Force

Date: 26 Feb 2016 | posted in: Composting, waste - composting, Waste to Wealth | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Maryland House Bill 743 – Yard Waste and Food Residuals Diversion and Infrastructure Task Force, sponsored by Delegate Shane Robinson (District 39), would create a Task Force to identify means to promote investment in infrastructure to expand food waste recovery, evaluate the current recovery of food waste in Maryland, identify opportunities for expansion, and more. The Task Force would … Read More

Hawaii’s Net Metering Alternative Comes Up (Way) Short

Date: 21 Oct 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Earlier this week, the Public Utilities Commission of Hawaii approved the proposal of the islands’ largest utility to end net metering for solar customers. It’s the culmination of a years-long battle and a proxy in the national fight between utilities and solar producing customers. It’s also the first big decision taking Hawaii away from the “energy … Read More

Distributed Renewable Energy Under Fire

Date: 21 Oct 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This subject has been updated, please read our newest piece: Distributed Generation (Still) Under Fire, published May 2016. Need evidence that utilities are fighting back against their customer’s desire to generate their own power? This map shows where policies like net metering are undermining the ability of utility customers to exercise their desire for self-reliance. I developed … Read More

Clean Power Plan: 50 Ways to Get More Clean, Local Energy

Date: 3 Aug 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The Obama administration released the Clean Power Plan today requiring substantial greenhouse gas emissions reductions from the electricity sector. The plan sets targets from the top down, but largely leaves the details to states, providing a significant opportunity to craft rules that encourage energy development and ownership from the bottom up. These 50 state plans have … Read More

A Rising Wind: Better Tech Means Greater State Wind Potential

Date: 27 Jul 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

For states looking to reduce their reliance on dirty, imported energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory brings good news on the wind. In a May 2015 report, significantly more wind power potential was found in nearly every state thanks to advancing turbine technology. In 2015, 40 states could produce 50% or more of their annual electricity use … Read More

Rhode Island Standard Contracts Program Grows Distributed Generation

Date: 24 Mar 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

This is an invited guest post from Virginia Rutter of Eutectics. By the end of 2019, Rhode Island has a goal to have 200 MW of distributed renewable energy generation in the state, most of it solar. The primary means by which Rhode Island means to meet this goal is through the use of standardized cost-based … Read More

Want FTTH? Move to North Dakota, Reports USDA

Date: 15 Feb 2015 | posted in: MuniNetworks | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

A recent USDA report reveals that fossil fuels are not the only thing booming in North Dakota. The state ranked 47 for population is ranked number 1 as having the highest percentage of people with access to FTTH.  According to a Telecompetitor article, their status can be attributed to an abundance of rural cooperatives and small … Read More

Are We Sunk? The Electric Utility’s Titanic Problem

Date: 6 Feb 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In my recent report on the utility business model of the future, I laid out 5 pillars of a democratic energy system. It’s hard not to notice the contrast between this vision of the future and the 15-year business plan laid out by Xcel Energy in Minnesota, the incumbent monopoly serving about half the state’s electric … Read More

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