Consumption of renewable energy, which meets about 12% of U.S. energy demand, is increasing. While these technologies are becoming more cost competitive, policies promoting the commercial use of renewable electricity resources, such as tax subsidies and state-level renewable portfolio standards, continue to be the key drivers of capacity expansions.
While Silicon Valley is synonymous with “innovation” in our increasingly digital economy, today’s energy industry has been busy researching, developing, and building tomorrow’s future. These advanced technologies are being implemented in cities, towns, and neighborhoods all across the country. To
Without question, solar is a beneficial and growing component of America’s secure and diverse energy future. In fact, miraculous advancements in technology have continued to reduce the costs of electricity generated from the sun, spurring a dramatic increase in solar installations. However, the
Over the past few months, we have demonstrated how outdated net metering policies shift grid costs away from customers with rooftop solar panels to those without such installations. Due to this cost shift, utility regulators in states such as Maine, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere are reexamining their
Should you care about net metering? Whether you are interested in solar energy or not, the answer is YES. Over the past couple of months, we have explained the concept of “net metering” through visuals that demonstrate that while everyone connected to the power grid benefits from it, outdated
Air travel remains one of the most transformative inventions of the 20th Century. Though people centuries ago long dreamed of taking to the sky like birds, it was not until 1914 when commercial aviation was born. While air travel was initially restricted to the very rich, with very limited
Installation of solar on residential homes is gaining in popularity. “Private solar” is the term used for those shiny solar panels that are popping up on residential rooftops. Many years ago, electric companies and local regulators created a way to credit these homeowners for generating electricity
What is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in America? Is it all those windmills dotting the plains? Is it the new geothermal resources harnessing the Earth’s heat from deep below our feet? Or is it the wealth of hydroelectric power that provides a dispatch-able, dependable, resource for
In promoting its Clean Power Plan (CPP), the Obama Administration hasn’t been shy about claiming it will be a boon to renewables. A White House Fact Sheet boasts, for example, that CPP will “give a head start to wind and solar deployment.” Is that true? Well, it turns out there will be virtually no
