The following presentation outlines a 10% solar energy standard to be considered by the Minnesota legislature in early 2013. It would require utilities to supply 10% of their energy sales from solar electricity – largely local, distributed solar. It provides long-term, standard contracts to solar projects with a value of solar production-based price and a production based incentive, helping democratize the production of solar energy.
Suddenly everyone knows about Germany’s solar power dominance because Fox Newsheads made an ass of themselves, suggesting that the country is a sunny, tropical paradise. Most media folks have figured out that there are some monster differences in policy (e.g. a feed-in tariff), but then latch on to the “Germans pay a lot extra” meme. Germans do, and are perfectly happy with it, but that’s still not the story.
The real reason Germany dominates in solar (and wind) is their commitment to democratizing energy.
Utility “Gets Ready” for More Local Energy in Hawai’i Hawai’an solar advocates are celebrating this week after the island state’s largest utility, Hawai’ian Electric (HECO) filed a plan with the public utility commission to take a “proactive approach” to adding more distributed solar to their grid system.
Whatch Workin’ On, John Farrell?In our second episode of Whatcha Workin’ On? Lisa Gonzalez interviews John Farrell, Director of the Democratic Energy Program at ILSR.
John Farrell spoke to the Stone Arch discussion forum of the local DFL Education Foundation on January 12, 2013, about the Minneapolis Energy Options campaign to let the people of Minneapolis take charge of their energy future. The grassroots campaign is challenging the energy monopoly of Xcel and Centerpoint Energy and hopes to give the city’s homes and businesses a clean, local alternative to dirty, imported energy.
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance launched the Energy Self-Reliant States blog in 2010 to provide in-depth analysis of distributed renewable energy issues, often in a visual format for the average citizen.
