South Dakota is a national leader in the proportion of its electricity mix coming from wind energy. CEFF spoke to South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Vice Chairman Chris Nelson about the status of clean energy in the state. He contends that the rise of wind in the state is traceable to federal incentives and a business-friendly policy landscape, and argues that solar may be better positioned for future growth.
Dylan Voorhees / Photo courtesy of Natural Resources Council of Maine
Maine’s renewable energy landscape is poised for big changes. Legislation passed into law in June establishes greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and an ambitious renewable portfolio standard. In this interview, Dylan Voorhees, climate and clean energy director of the Natural Resources Council of Maine, explains what the new laws mean for the state, and what brought about the shift in policy.
To better prepare for future disruptions, state and local governments are reducing the electric demand of their critical operations through energy efficiency, as well as making new investments in microgrids with distributed generation to ensure continuous electric supply during extended grid outages to power critical facilities.
In July, the state of Ohio passed its HB 6 energy bill, which authorizes $300 million in annual surcharges on utility ratepayers, primarily to fund four struggling coal and nuclear power plants. The bill also scales back the state’s clean energy targets. Now that HB 6 has been signed into law, what changes will it bring for stakeholders in the industry?
Brandon Cheshire is board president of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association and founder of SunHarvest Solar, as well as a licensed electrician. In this interview, Cheshire lays out a solar industry perspective on how to advance clean energy in the state.
Renewables, storage and energy efficiency may get a stronger foothold in Mississippi after utility regulators last week took an unprecedented move to create a formal long-term energy planning process for the electric companies they regulate.
Through a partnership with the Connecticut Green Bank, the Louisiana-based company PosiGen is able to include energy efficiency improvements with all of its solar installations.
In May 2018, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) launched its online Technology Catalogue. If successful, this online marketplace for climate-friendly technologies can help close the climate finance gap.
This explainer is the third part of a series by Sara Harari and Nate Grady on how microgrids are being used to transform the electrical grid. As climate change becomes the new reality, policymakers must decide how to invest limited resources in advanced technology and infrastructure. At the heart of this challenge is the debate over adaptation versus mitigation: should we focus our efforts on avoiding the worst effects of climate change (i.e. reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses we release going forward), or should we divide our resources and invest simultaneously on adapting to the most likely effects of...
