Energy Self-Reliant States: Positive Policy Changes for Distributed Renewable Energy

The previous week I covered the one thing Obama’s climate policy can’t leave out, and you can judge the President’s climate plan for yourself. Also, while I’m on “vacation” (moving) you can read (and link to) a web version of the fourth segment of our Rooftop Revolution report.

Sincerely,

John

Positive Policy Changes for Distributed Renewable Energy

From outdated technical rules to local permitting to incentive policies, there are opportunities to increase the potential for local solar.

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The One Thing Obama’s Climate Policy Can’t Leave Out

When President Obama unveils his climate policy proposal in the coming days, he should focus on the one key element of successful climate and energy policy. It’s not about utilities or incentives or numbers, it’s about ownership. Climate-protecting energy policy succeeds when communities can keep their energy dollars local by directly owning and profiting from…

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Reactions to My Take on Master Limited Partnerships for Renewable Energy

When I wrote two weeks ago that Master Limited Partnerships are a Lousy Policy for Solar, Wind, and Taxpayers, I was aware that it wasn’t a widely held view. The piece has done more than provide another viewpoint on the complicated corporate structure, it has ignited a significant debate across the renewable energy community about…

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Minneapolis the First Domino in Local Energy Choice in Minnesota?

Over the weekend the campaign for a municipal utility option in Minneapolis, MN, got another boost: the endorsement of the city Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. The campaign’s goal is to increase clean, affordable, reliable, and local energy deployment in the city through meaningful negotiations with the utilities over their expiring franchise contracts in 2014, or by exercising…

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The Solar OpportunityThe coming of solar grid parity offers an opportunity for millions of Americans to go solar affordably. But it also means a potential transformation, a democratization of an electricity system long domi- nated by centrally-controlled utilities and centralized ownership and production of electricity. When solar can undercut grid electricity prices, it may also undercut this…

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