As we near the one-year anniversary of the devastation Hurricane Maria afflicted upon the residents of Puerto Rico, it’s concerning that post-hurricane efforts have been largely focused on restoring power with little progress on strengthening the alrea…
Tag: Community Solar
Can Solar Energy Save the Bees?
In response to the population decline of pollinating insects, such as wild bees and monarch butterflies, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory are investigating ways to use “pollinator-friendly solar power.”…
How EPCs Can Reduce Costs in Ground Mount Solar Projects
Innovations in solar ground mount foundations and racking systems have lagged behind the many evolutionary changes being made in photovoltaics, inverters, batteries and other balance of system technologies that together are driving down costs. Of cours…
Energy Storage Saves the Day During Heat Wave in Vermont
As usual hot weather descended on New England in late June/early July but Vermont utility Green Mountain Power (GMP) was undaunted by peak demand. That’s because the utility turned to stored energy to reduce demand on the grid. There is a network of Te…
Solar Matchmaker Pairing Lenders With Commercial Developers
The New York-based company is introducing an online exchange to pair commercial solar developers with lenders looking to finance projects. It’s already matched $35 million of deals ahead of its formal opening Thursday, and has a goal of $250 million th…
Funding Puts Community-Scale Microgrid in Line for Wholesale Market Participation
The California Energy Commission has approved a grant for a community-scale microgrid that will participate in California’s wholesale electricity market.
Clean Energy Leadership Emerging in Washington, DC
About a month ago, legislators for the District of Columbia introduced a bill that, if passed, could revolutionize how utilities deliver power to customers. The bill is known as the Distributed Energy Resources Authority Act. It would establish an ind…
Renewable Energy and DERs Are a Better Deal than New Gas Generation Almost Every Time
Utilities and independent power producers (IPPs) plan to invest $110 billion through 2025 to build new, natural gas-fired power plants. They, their shareholders and society would be better served were that capital invested in new, distributed, renewabl…
Clean Energy Laws Signed in New Jersey: Offshore Wind, Efficiency, Solar, Storage and Nuclear Benefit
Clean energy advocates rejoiced as legislation was passed today in New Jersey that will support the development of a massive amount of renewable energy, specifically community solar, energy storage, offshore wind and energy efficiency. The bill also pr…
Puerto Rico Gives Green Light to Microgrid Developers; Could Become a “Model of Sustainability”
Last week, the body that governs Puerto Rico’s energy sector, the Puerto Rico Energy Commission (PREC), issued final rules regarding microgrid development on the island. According to a fact sheet issued by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA), the …
Illinois Strikes Path To Midwest Solar Leadership
Two years ago, Illinois legislators passed the Future Energy Jobs Act in an effort to transition the state from its fossil-fueled industrial past into a future where solar and wind created jobs, cleaned the environment and saved electric ratepayers money.
NRDC Helping to Seed Resilient Energy in Puerto Rico
Last September, Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico destroying most of the island’s energy infrastructure. Puerto Ricans then had to endure the largest and longest blackout in U.S. history.
Taxes, Trump and Tariffs: 7 Takeaways From the Midwest Solar Expo
The Trump administration’s tariffs have loomed over the U.S. solar industry all year, and they were a reoccurring topic at this week’s Midwest Solar Expo in Minneapolis.
New Bill Seeks to Repeal Trump’s Solar Tariffs
Rep. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) yesterday introduced a bill to repeal the solar tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed in January. According to Rosen’s office, if passed, the legislation would allow duties and tariffs to default back to previous rates, an…
Pro-Solar Legislative Actions: Progress in New Jersey, Setback in South Carolina
Legislation that would support solar energy deployments met with success in New Jersey this week following a blow for other pro-solar legislation that was making headway in South Carolina.
3@3 on Solar PV: Refuting the Anti-Solar Argument that Everyone Else’s Rates Go Up When People Go Solar
Today we focus on one topic that has a lot of spokes. And it’s this: refuting the claim that when people go solar, everyone else’s bills increase. We’ll take three of the age-old arguments about how residential solar increases rates for non-solar custo…
3@3 on Solar PV: Refuting the Anti-Solar Argument that Everyone Else’s Rates Go Up When People Go Solar
Today we focus on one topic that has a lot of spokes. And it’s this: refuting the claim that when people go solar, everyone else’s bills increase. We’ll take three of the age-old arguments about how residential solar increases rates for non-solar custo…
Solar Leads Record Renewables Investment
Solar investments eclipsed all other forms of electricity generation in 2017 as China’s green boom accelerated. Investors worldwide plowed a record $161 billion into solar energy last year, more than half the investment in all renewables apart from lar…
Solar Leads Record Renewables Investment
Solar investments eclipsed all other forms of electricity generation in 2017 as China’s green boom accelerated. Investors worldwide plowed a record $161 billion into solar energy last year, more than half the investment in all renewables apart from lar…
From Residential to Utility-Scale, Solar Wins in Recent State-Level Actions
A series of recent state-level actions have been lauded by industry advocates as positive steps for driving deployments of residential, community-scale and utility-scale solar.