Various Sources, November 17, 2014 This week in democratic energy, media reports discussed the state of solar across the country, a new battery prototype for wind and solar power, and more. John Farrell, Director of ILSR’s Democratic Energy initiative, was quoted in the Midwest Energy News article, “In Minnesota, community solar market starting to take off.” … Read More
This week in democratic energy, media reports discussed everything from net metering to the installation of a solar photovoltaic system in a New York county jail. Elisa Woods of GreenBiz reports that New Hampshire may be the next state to adopt electric grid modernization, including microgrids, to increase grid resiliency and economic efficiency: “The advisory agency … Read More
“The Times, they are a-changin” quoted Chairman Wheeler this week in St. Paul. And with it, must come faster Internet speeds if the United States is going to keep up in the competitive economy. Multichannel’s John Eggerton reported on Wheeler’s visit to the National Association of Telecommunications Officer and Advisors (NATOA) conference this week, where Wheeler … Read More
Whitewater, Wisconsin, a city of just under 15,000 people that sits midway between Madison and Milwaukee, is considering its options for establishing a municipal broadband utility. As reported by the local Daily Union newspaper, members of the city council, the community development authority, other local bodies, and the public met this week to hear a feasibility … Read More
Sheboygan County, the City of Sheboygan, and the Sheboygan Area School District (SASD) plan to collaborate to deploy a fiber network. According to an article in the Sheboygan Press, all three entities seek cost savings and higher capacity connections. Approximately, 49,000 people live in the City of Sheboygan; there are 10,000 students attending SASD. Over 115,000 … Read More
Is solar ready to boom in the Midwest, or does poor policy still stand in the way? This presentation by Institute for Local Self-Reliance Director of Democratic Energy John Farrell to the Midwest Solar Expo on May 16, 2014, explores the potential, the economics, and the policy needed to help solar power the Midwest. Download the … Read More
Although few cities take full advantage of them, planning and zoning powers are among the most potent tools communities have for shaping their economies. Two recent decisions, in Massachusetts and Wisconsin, underscore why land use planning matters and how smart policies can strengthen the local economy and protect good jobs.… Read More
The Sun Prairie City Council met on January 14th to discuss a possible investment in a municipal fiber network. Thank you to local resident Jonathan Kleinow for alerting us to developments in the south central Wisconsin town. The Star published an article about the meeting in which The Motive Group presented information to the Committee of … Read More
The latest addition to the growing list of gigabit communities is Reedsburg, Wisconsin. For residential customers, the service is available for $274.95/month when bundled or $299.95/month standalone. The network has long delivered gigabit services to local businesses but the residential offer is new. In a recent press release the Reedsburg Utility Commission (RUC) announced it now offers … Read More
