19 Apr 2018

Of New Power Generation, How Much is on the Roof? Annual Update — 2017

by | Date: 19 Apr 2018 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The U.S. experienced relatively sluggish gains in total new power plant capacity in 2017, when compared to 2016, but it also saw another, more positive outcome: a notable surge in distributed solar. Using the latest available national data on power generation, this most recent look at data on annual and quarterly electricity generation nationwide from the Energy Democracy Initiative at ILSR illustrates how small-scale, distributed solar energy stacks up against its big, fossil fuel and utility-scale renewable energy competitors.… Read More
2 Jan 2018

New Study: Local Renewable Energy Offers Low-Cost Path to Clean Grid

by | Date: 2 Jan 2018 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

In a landmark study of Minnesota’s electric grid, the Smarter Grid study found that it’s cost-effective to replace fossil fuel energy sources with wind and solar to dramatically lower carbon pollution from electricity generation. But within this bigger finding was … Read More
15 Dec 2017

Dear Santa… ILSR’s Annual Energy Policy Wish List!

by | Date: 15 Dec 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The energy staff offers its Christmas Policy Wish List, including ideas in three categories: Removing Bad Federal Policies, Expanding Inclusive Energy Financing, and Encouraging Local Action.… Read More
24 Aug 2017

Dumb and Dumber: Looking Beyond the Department of Energy’s Flawed “Baseload” Study

by | Date: 24 Aug 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Energy commissioned a study purportedly about grid reliability. In reality, it’s more likely the study is a fishing expedition searching for ways to buttress fossil fuel contributors to and allies of the Trump administration — folks squeezed by competition from less costly wind and solar power.… Read More
28 Jun 2017

Reminder: The Fight for 100 Percent Renewable is Political

by | Date: 28 Jun 2017 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

As more cities pledge their commitment to purchase 100 percent of their power from renewable sources, some researchers question the feasibility of such energy policies. Read John Farrell’s response to such critiques about how politics, in city councils and statehouses across the country, have the power to make or break these decisions.… Read More
9 Nov 2016

As Trump Heads to White House, Lack of Actual Policy Threatens U.S. Energy Future

by | Date: 9 Nov 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The U.S. energy economy faces unprecedented pressure to integrate clean and renewable fuel sources like wind and solar, but after a distracting 2016 presidential campaign sidelined energy policy, troubling and untenable gaps in the president-elect’s strategy remain unchecked. In the … Read More
3 Jun 2016

Why is Green Pricing a Premium When Wind Power is Cheap?

by | Date: 3 Jun 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Ten years ago, a North Dakota cooperative stopped charging customers a premium for getting energy from the wind, because they found it wasn’t costing anything extra. The cooperative, like many utilities, used a “green pricing” program that allowed customers to … Read More
11 Apr 2016

Sharply Higher Rooftop Solar Potential Increases Opportunity for Energy Self-Reliance

by | Date: 11 Apr 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Earlier this year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released a new estimate of rooftop solar potential, an update to 2008 figures we used in our landmark state-by-state energy atlas, Energy Self-Reliant States. The bottom line: there’s much more potential to … Read More

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