Articles by
John Farrell
Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best
By
John Farrell
Minnesota’s community solar program hit a record 460 megawatts of operational capacity in November 2018. The chart above shows the progress of projects through the program since August 2015, and the nearly two-year lag between the program launch in December 2014 and the successful ignition of multiple megawatts of capacity in January 2017.
Energy and Policy Institute Exposes Three Ways Electric Utilities Stomp Innovation and Competition
By
John Farrell
If you work to secure Americans’ rights to solar energy or to accelerate the deployment of inexpensive renewable energy, you understand that not everyone is in favor. In particular, incumbent electric utilities tend to oppose competition in their (often monopoly) share of the electricity market.
Choosing the Electric Avenue – Unlocking Savings, Emissions Reductions, and Community Benefits of Electric Vehicles
By
John Farrell
The U.S. vehicle market will undergo a massive technology disruption from electric vehicles in the coming decades. Many analysts see the potential for surging sales of these efficient vehicles to enable smart grid management, but few have explored the local impact of electric vehicles: promoting energy democracy.
The New 1,600 MW Solar Program for Massachusetts Really is SMART
By
John Farrell
It’s a fascinating blast from the past, shifting from a common policy in the Northeast — solar renewable energy credits — to an approach that looks more like California’s 10-year-old Solar Initiative or Germany’s decades-old feed-in tariff.
Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best
By
John Farrell
Why? Because there 10 times more community solar projects in the queue—400 megawatts—in Minnesota than have been built in the history of community solar in the United States (40 megawatts).
Community Power Map
By
John Farrell
Where are communities taking charge of their energy future? Which states give communities the most power?
ILSR’s Community Power Map provides an interactive illustration of how communities are accelerating the transition toward 100% renewable energy and how policies help or hinder greater local action.
Why is Green Pricing a Premium When Wind Power is Cheap?
By
John Farrell
It’s terrific that so many utility customers are willing to pay more for 100% renewable electricity, but it’s also clear that supporting clean energy doesn’t necessarily require paying more, especially in the Midwest. So why do utilities like Xcel Energy still ask us to?
Beyond Sharing – How Communities Can Take Ownership of Renewable Power
By
John Farrell
But shared solar is just a small slice of the community renewable energy opportunity, which could include many other renewable technologies such as wind or geothermal, but also community-owned projects that would allow greater local capture of economic benefits.
Ontario: A Lesson In Solar From A Northern Neighbor
By
John Farrell
Based on population, Ontario would be the 5th largest state if it were part of the U.S., but its installed solar capacity, 1,500 MW would rank it 3rd.
The US Federal Solar Tax Credit Extension: Can We Win if We Lose?
By
John Farrell
But the use of tax credits always had its drawbacks. Many potential solar owners were ineligible because they lacked sufficient tax liability (40% of Americans still don’t have enough annual tax liability to absorb it in one year), including cities, counties, and non-profit organizations.
USA: 100% Renewable Energy: Fact or Fantasy?
By
John Farrell
What would it take to power the entire U.S. economy on renewable resources alone? Three big things: Only build wind, solar, or hydro power plants after 2020; Reduce energy use compared to business as usual by 40%; Electrify everything.
ILSR: Advantage Local – Why Local Energy Ownership Matters
By
John Farrell
Why does ownership of renewable energy matter? Because the number of jobs and economic returns for communities are substantially higher when electricity generation from wind and sun can be captured by local hands.
