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What's New

Our understanding of the global need to act, and the state of renewable energy policy and news are rapidly evolving in Oregon, nationally and internationally. This monthly resource will keep you up-to-date with what's new both in OREP and renwewable energy conversations from around the planet. These articles are further archived under the navigation menus listed in red below.

From local communities to national policy decisions, informed and engaged citizens will advance the transition to locally-owned and locally-generated clean renewable energy. We encourage you to check back regularly.

March 2016
3/30/16
Policy News: Community RE

How utility collaboration can cut community solar costs up to 40%; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Mar 28, 2016

Why this new solar market could be set to explode; Chris Mooney, The Washington Post, Mar 24, 2016

Why people come together in community projects; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Mar 24, 2016

Policy News: US FiT News

Palo Alto to solarize city-owned parking structures and enhance EV deployment; J. Valentine, CLEAN Coalition, Mar 29, 2016

RE News: Solar

New NREL study details US rooftop solar PV potential at 1,118GW plus; Mark Osborne, PV Tech, Mar 28, 2016

Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Technical Potential in the United States: A Detailed Assessment; Pieter Gagnon, Rober Margolis, Jennifer Melius, Caleb Phillips, and Ryan Elmore, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jan 2016 [REPORT]

RE News: Energy

Will utilities become Uber for DERs?; Krysti Shallenberger, Utility Dive, March 30, 2016

German coal is worthless; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Mar 17, 2016

Policy News: World FiT News

Talking Point: New ideas needed in energy crisis; Jack Gilding, The Mercury, Mar 24, 2016

The Resounding Success of German Solar Auctions; Karl-Friedrich Lenz, Lenz Blog, Mar 14, 2016

 

3/25/16
Policy News: Community RE

When Communities Choose Their Energy, They Get a Better Deal; Jigar Shah and Russ Hancock, greenTech:Media, Mar 01, 2016

Policy News: US FiT News

Battle brews over Palo Alto's solar-energy program; Gennady Sheyner, Palo Alto Weekly, Mar 25, 2016

RE News: Energy

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Forecasts No Growth in Renewable Energy. We Disagree; Mike Jacobs, Union of Concerned Scientists, Mar 25, 2016

Peabody Coal's bankruptcy would be 'rocket fuel' to end investment in old energy companies; Andrew Freedman, Mashable, Mar 25, 2016

Why Power Markets Tilt Toward Renewables Even With Cheap Oil; Anna Hirtenstein, Bloomberg Business, Mar 24, 2016

 

3/22/16
RE News: Storage & Integration

Mighty Microgrids; Matt Grimley & John Farrell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Mar 2016 [Policy Basics: Reports]

In a Big Northwest Earthquake, Microgrids Can Prevent Outages; Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge, Mar 10, 2016

 

3/21/16
RE News: Energy

Is It Game Over for Coal?; Emma Foehringer Merchant, New Republic, March 18, 2016

How utilities can turn DERs from threat into opportunity; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Mar 16, 2016

Are residential demand charges the best rate reform for DERs?; Krysti Shallenberger, Utility Dive, Mar 15, 2016

Re News: Storage & Integration

Leading edge: Hawaii utilities push storage, solar integration for 100% renewables mandate; Peter Maloney, Utility Dive, Mar 21, 2016

 

3/18/16
RE News: Solar

Buffett Says He Loves Renewables, So Why Is His Company Trying To Kill Solar Energy?; Joe Romm, Climate Progress, Mar 7, 2016

The WTO Just Ruled Against India's Booming Solar Program; Ilana Solomon, Ben Beachy, Sierra Club Blog, Feb 25, 2016

RE News: Storage & Integration

India opens market for solar battery makers such as Tesla; Anindya Upadhyay, LiveMint, Mar 15, 2016

New Fuel Cell Design Powered By Graphene-Wrapped Nanocrystals; Scicasts, Mar 15, 2016

Policy News: Community RE

5 Reasons Community-Scale Solar is a Multi-GW Market Opportunity; Rocky Mountain Institute, Mar 17, 2016

Making Community Solar Work for Low-Income Customers; Steve Calechman, greenTech:Media, Mar 14, 2016

RE News: Energy

Court Weighs Nuclear Shutdown Costs; Allison Williams, Handelsblatt: Global Edition, Mar 15, 2016

Environment: Climate

Scotland urged to adopt more ambitious carbon emissions target; Severin Carrell, The Guardian, Mar 15, 2016

 

3/9/16
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation

Oregon Passes Bill to Cut Coal Purchases, Double Renewable Energy by 2040; Julia Pyper, GreenTech Media, Mar 4, 2016

RE News: Solar

Seeing no end to power crisis, Gazans turn to the sun; Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Reuters, Mar 9, 2016

RE News: Energy

How renewable technologies can power a greener tomorrow; Tulsi Tanti, World Economic Forum, Mar 9, 2016

Pot is power hungry: why the marijuana industry's energy footprint is growing; Melanie Sevcenko, The Guardian, Feb 27, 2016

Policy News: Utility Adaptation

Las Vegas Utilities Really Don't Want the Strip to Go Solar: Daniel Hernandez, Wired, Mar 9, 2016

RE News: Storage & Integration

GE creates 'sunrotor' system to store, generate clean energy; Brittany A. Roston, SlashGear, Mar 9, 2016

Environment: Climate

Dangerous global warming will happen sooner than thought – study; Joshua Robertson, The Guardian, Mar 9, 2016

 

3/8/16
Policy News: Utility Adaptation

"Base load" power: a myth used to defend the fossil fuel industry; Giles Parkinson, REnewEconomy, Mar 2, 2016

5 breakthroughs that would transform clean energy; Cristina Maza, The Christian Science Monitor, Feb 27, 2016

Energy markets: the planet's unlikely new ally in the emissions effort; Federico Gambarini, The Conversation, Feb 24, 2016

US renewable energy mandates bring down fossil fuel use, power costs; Christian Roselund, PV Magazine, Jan 8, 2016

 

2/23/16
Policy News: Utility Adaptation

Can utilities be trusted with the energy transition?; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Feb 23, 2016

Policy News: World FiT News

Can Germany's renewable energy revolution be replicated in the United States?;
Beate G. Liepert, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Feb 18, 2016

Japan may again trim solar FiT by 11%; Militsa Mancheva, SeeNews: Renewables, Feb 23, 2016

RE News: Energy

Rapid, affordable energy transformation possible; National Oceanic and Atmosperic Administration, Jan 25, 2016

RE News: Storage & Integration

Integrating Run-of-the-River Hydropower into a Microgrid for Reliability; Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge, Feb 22, 2016

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OREP's Vision: Oregon communities powered by clean, renewable energy.