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.
May 2016
5/31/16
RE News: Solar
New Solar Plants Generate Floating Green Power; Erica Goode, New York Times, May 20, 2016
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
Strange bedfellows: How solar and utilities struck a net metering compromise in New York; Krysti Shallenberger, Utility Dive, May 26, 2016
Policy News: World FiT News
German legislators fight over policy rollback on renewables; Craig Morris, Energy Blog, May 25, 2016
5/30/16
Policy News: World FiT News
Germany's renewables electricity generation grows in 2015, but coal still dominant; PennEnergy, May 24, 2016
Queensland lifts solar feed-in tariff by 17% in response to surging gas prices; Sophie Vorrath, REnew Economy, May 26, 2016
Govt readies third round of FiT rates; Alena Mae S. Flores, The Standard, May 30, 2016
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Last Coal-fired Plants Shut Down in South Australia and Scotland Show Global Rise of Renewable Energy; Ilario D'Amato, The Climate Group, May 10, 2016
Doubling Today's Share of Renewables Will Create 24 Million Jobs, Boost GDP by $1.3 Trillion and Save 4 Million Lives a Year; Ilario D'Amato, The Climate Group, March 17, 2016
Environment: Society
This New Neighborhood Will Grow Its Own Food, Power Itself, And Handle Its Own Waste; Adele Peters, co.exist, May 25, 2016
5/26/16
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Highly Industrialized States and Regions to Shape Clean Energy Roadmap Through New Platform; The Climate Group, May 25, 2016
100% RE Cities: Resources
Energy Transition Platform; The Climate Group, 2012
An Industrial Region in Transition: Energy and Climate Policy in North Rhine-Westphalia; Dr. Daniel Vallentin, Prof. Dr. Manfred Fischedick, Katharina Knoop, et. al., The Climate Group, May 2016
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
New York's Next Steps in the REV-olution; Virgina Lacy & Lena Hansen, Rocky Mountain Institute, May 20, 2016
The Business Value of Demand Flexibility; Mark Dyson & Edison Almedia, Rocky Mountain Institute, May 18, 2016
Distributed Generation (Still) Under Fire; John Farrell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, May 16, 2016
5/25/16
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
A grid of DERs: DOE program aims for 100% solar penetration on the distribution system; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, May 24, 2016
RE News: Energy
Why Going Local Makes Sense for the Clean Energy Transition; John Farrell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, May 20, 2016
RE News: Solar
Super solar plan for Arden Hills moves forward; Jessie Van Berkel, Star Tribune, May 24, 2016
RE News: Storage & Integration
Microgrids take off; Greg Scheu, Energy Central, May 18, 2016
Policy News: World FiT News
Sustainable agriculture: A new Anand cooperative model – this time, in solar farming; Tushaar Shah, Neha Durga, Omkar Jani & Akhilesh Magal, The Indian Express, May 19, 2016
5/24/16
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Exploring How Cities Can Switch To A Low-Carbon Energy Grid; Joshua S Hill, CleanTechnica, April 28th, 2016
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
SolarCity: Nevada rooftop solar delivers 1.6¢/kWh in net benefits to grid; Gavin Bade, Utility Dive, May 24, 2016
RE News: Energy
This window can help power a skyscraper; Charles Mandel, National Observer, May 24, 2016
Clean energy gets dirty: Turning sewage into heat; Jackie Wattles, CNN, May 24, 2016
5/21/16
Policy News: World FiT News
Ontario: Canada's energy transition success story; Pembina Institute, June 15, 2015
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
New York's Full Value Tariff Could Be a Radical Departure From Net Metering; Katherine Tweed, GreenTech:Media, May 16, 2016
Better together: How an organized market can help clean up the western US grid; Herman K Trabish, Utility Dive, May 11, 2016
RE News: Energy
We Can Stop Searching For The Clean Energy Miracle. It's Already Here.; Joe Romm, Think Progress, May 12, 2016
RE News: Energy & Storage
What SolarCity's new portfolio of grid services can do for utilities; Herman K Trabish, Utility Dive, May 16, 2016
5/18/16
Policy News: Community RE
How Low-Income Households Can Take Advantage Of Renewable Energy And Efficiency; Marlene Cimons, ThinkProgress, May 13, 2015
5/16/16
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Germany nearly reached 100 percent renewable power on Sunday; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, May 11, 2016
More cities — of all sizes — taking the plunge to use 100% renewable energy; Jodi Gralnick, CNBC, Mar 13, 2016
RE News: Energy
PSE&G looks for State Approval to Spend $275 Million on Solar Farms; Tom Johnson, NJSpotlight, May 12, 2016
Just How Much Power Do Your Electronics Use When They Are 'Off'?; Tatiana Schlossberg, New York Times, May 7, 2016
RE News: Solar
Utilities, greens still miles apart on solar valuation, new report shows; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, May 12, 2016
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
Not Just Illegal, Targeting Solar Facilities With Fees is Poor Policy; John Farrell, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, May 12, 2016
Environment: Climate
How scared or hopeful should we be in a warming world?; Clive Hamilton, The Guardian, May 12, 2016
Environment: Society
Nation's Fastest-Growing Job Only for Those Who Like to Get High; Jennifer Oldham, Bloomberg, May 12, 2016
RE News: Energy & Storage
Electric Cars to Rival Tesla's Powerwall in Nissan Deal; Ania Nussbaum & Jessica Shankleman, Bloomberg, May 11, 2016
5/10/16
Policy News: Community RE [World FiT News]
Social Benefits of Renewable Energies: Creating the Environment for Societal Ownership – Lessons learned from Germany's Energiewende; Dr Sebastian Helgenberger, IASS Potsdam Blog, Mar 10, 2016
Environment: Climate
Almost Everything You Know About Climate Change Solutions Is Outdated, Part 1; Joe Romm, Think Progress, May 10, 2016
RE News: Solar
Conservation Groups Hail New "Smart from the Start" Solar Report; Defenders of Wildlife, YubaNet, May 10, 2016
RE News: Energy & Storage
Why Used Electric Car Batteries Could Be Crucial To A Clean Energy Future; Joe Romm, Think Progress, May 9, 2016
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Where in the world have we achieved 100% renewable power?; Cassie Werber, Quartz, Dec 18, 2015
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
The 10 Worst States for Solar Power; Julian Spector, Mother Jones, May 9, 2016
RE News: World FiT News
NAFTA Tribunal Issues Ruling in Mesa Power-Canada Case; International Centre for Trade & Sustainable Development, May 4, 2016
5/4/16
100% RE Cities: RE100 News
Here's what it would take for the US to run on 100% renewable energy; David Roberts, Vox, May 3, 2016
RE News: Energy
Buffett vs. Musk: The clash of old and new energy titans; Daniel Rothberg, Las Vegas Sun, May 2, 2016
5/3/16
Policy News: US FiT News
At 16.4 MW, largest U.S. rooftop solar array will utilize LA muni's feed-in-tariff; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, May 3, 2016
RE News: Solar
SunEdison Is Not Solyndra: Why 2016 Looks So Different From 2011; Clint Wilder, Clean Edge, May 1, 2016
DTE Energy, City of Detroit partner to convert blighted land into solar array and neighborhood park; PennEnergy, Mar 30, 2016
4/29/16
RE News: Storage & Integration
Tesla will install more energy storage with Solarcity in 2016 than the USA installed in 2015; John Fitzgerald Weaver, electrek, Apr 25, 2016
Policy News: Oregon FiT/RE News
Oregon Solar News: Policy Update 4/19/16; Jeff Bissonette, Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association
Policy News: World FiT News
German PV auctions reach record low price, but most bids still lose; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Apr 27, 2016
Environment: Climate
Curbing Methane Pollution Could be Our Best Bet for Slowing Climate Change; Emma Foehringer Merchant, Newsweek, Apr 29, 2016
Massive Victory for 7 Kids in Climate Change Lawsuit in Washington State; Our Children's Trust, EcoWatch, Apr 29, 2016
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation
Exploring How Cities Can Switch To A Low-Carbon Energy Grid; Joshua S Hill, CleanTechnica, April 28th, 2016
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OREP's Vision: Oregon communities powered by clean, renewable energy.