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.
October 2015
10/30/15
RE News: Storage & Integration
Think tank report says German solar-plus-storage breakthrough is imminent, warns of challenges; Andy Colthorpe, PV Tech Storage, Oct 28, 2015
10/28/15
Policy Basics: Policy Innovation
OPUC Attributes for the Design of a Community Solar Program: To the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and the House Interim Committee on Energy and Environment; OPUC, Oct 26, 2015
10/23/15
RE News: Storage & Integration
A 6 Step Methodology for Developing a Community Microgrid; Greg Thomson & Sierra Dall, Municipal Sustainability Forum, Oct 15, 2015
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation
What comes after net metering: Hawaii's latest postcard from the future; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 22, 2015
Arizona: Utility regulators to consider value of solar; Robert Walton, Utility Dive, Oct 22, 2015
Supreme Court's challenge: Fit new grid into old law; Robin Bravender, E&E Publishing, LLC, Oct 21, 2015
NY regulators lift solar net metering caps until REV docket sets DER values; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 21, 2015
RE News: Wind
Taming Wind Power With Better Forecasts; Sue Ellen Haupt & William P. Mahoney, IEEE Spectrum, Oct 22, 2015
10/20/15
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation
A US state just became the world's greatest renewable-energy market; Dave Forest, Business Insider, Oct 13, 2015
Policy News: OREP in the News
Oregon Clean Power Cooperative: History; Oregon Clean Power Cooperative, 2015
RE News: Energy & Storage
Primer: The now and future impacts of energy storage; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 20, 2015
Utilities and Microgrids: It's Complicated; Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge, Oct 19, 2015
Rocky Mountain Institute: San Francisco Prepares for the Big One with Microgrids; Microgrid Knowledge, Oct 16, 2015
RE News: Solar
Solar energy blotting out nature, farms in California; Morgan Lee, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Oct 19, 2015
Environment: Climate
Cutting-Edge Climate Law: Eugene Is Ground Zero; Eugene City Club (Audio recording), KLCC, Oct 19, 2015
10/16/15
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation
Hawaii Regulators Shut Down HECO's Net Metering Program; Julia Pyper, greentechMedia, Oct 14, 2015
ESNA 2015: Inside California's energy politics, the FERC Order 745 case, and the coming storage cost shift; Gavin Bade, Utility Dive, Oct 16, 2015
10/13/15
RE News: Energy
Does Germany even have enough space for renewables?; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Oct 12, 2015
Policy News: World FiT News
Conservative MP becomes latest to slam 'draconian' FiT proposals; Liam Stoker, Solar Power Portal, Oct 8, 2015
Policy News: Community RE
The co-benefits of community energy; Craig Morris, Energy Transition, Oct 8, 2015
10/12/15
Policy News: US FiT News
Feed-in Tariff Solves Net Metering Problems; Douglas Hunter, The Energy Times Oct 6, 2015
RE News: Utility Adaptation
How 'grid neutrality' can build the backbone for the modern grid; Herman K Trabish, Utiliy Dive, Oct 12, 2015
Beyond Utility 2.0: Part 4 "Next Steps"; John Farrell, Renewable Energy World, Oct 12, 2015
Utility-scale solar booms as costs drop, challenging gas on price; Herman K Trabish, Utiliy Dive, Oct 8, 2015
RE News: Storage & Integration
Kentucky utility installs home storage for demand response pilot program; Robert Walton, Utility Dive, Oct 9, 2015
10/6/15
RE News: Storage & Integration
US DOE Sees "Enormous" Benefit in Integrating Microgrids Nationwide; Elisa Wood, Microgrid Knowledge, Oct 2, 2015
Experimenting with Solar Microgrids: A Missouri Municipal Utility Teams Up on Effort; Hallie Heinzler, the Energy Times, Sep 29, 2015
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
Cost of Service? Arizona's solar saga takes on the valuation question; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 5, 2015
10/5/15
Policy News: Community RE
HECO proposes new community renewables program; Robert Walton, Utility Dive, Oct 5, 2015
Community wind projects have no chance in Ontario and South Africa; Nicole Weinhold / Craig Morris, Renewables International, Oct 5, 2015
RE News: Storage & Integration
Are German Transmission System Operators Against Energy Storage?; Stephen L. Prince, Renewable Energy World, Oct 5, 2015
Ontario electricity operator offers money for cutting power consumption; Shawn McCarthy, The Globe and Mail, Oct 5, 2015
Policy News: World FiT News
A first: discontinued reduction of solar feed-in tariffs in Germany; Craig Morris, Renewables International, Oct 1, 2015
Policy News: Policy Innovation
Renovate America Banks $90M From SolarCity's VC Investors for Residential PACE; Eric Wesoff, Katie Tweed, greentechMedia,
Oct 1, 2015
RE News: Solar
Utility-Scale Solar Reaches Cost Parity With Natural Gas Throughout America; Katherine Tweed, greentechMedia, Sep 30, 2015
10/1/15
RE News: Solar
In Hamburg, New Ideas For Making And Conserving Energy; Erica Peterson, WFPL News, Oct 2, 2015
SolarCity touts its new rooftop solar panels as most efficient in the world; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 2, 2015
RE News: Wind
Scientists: Offshore Wind a 'Missed Opportunity' in U.S.; Bobby Magill, Climate Central, Sep 30, 2015
Policy News: RE Policy Innovation
To ITC or not to ITC: What happens if solar's federal tax incentives aren't extended; Herman K. Trabish, Utility Dive, Oct 1, 2015
9/30/15
Environment: Climate
How states can best promote clean power; Anthony F. Earley, Jr. and Bob Perciasepe, The Hill, Sep 10, 2015
Policy Basics: Presentations
Local, Regional and Global Actions for Achieving 100% Renewable Energy; Presentations by Tom Hoff (Clean Power Research), Dr. Richard Perez (University of Albany), Diane Moss (Renewables 100 Policy Institute), International Solar Energy Society, Sep 30, 2015
RE News: Energy
Mining and Burning Coal Draws Tourists in Germany; Erica Peterson, WFPL News, Sep 30, 2015
Japan: Goto City Aims to Become 'Islands of Energy' by Harnessing Offshore Wind; Junko Movellan, Renewable Energy World, Sep 30, 2015
Policy News: Utility Adaptation
Beyond Utility 2.0: Part 2 "The Present"; John Farrell, Renewable Energy World, Sep 30, 2015
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OREP's Vision: Oregon communities powered by clean, renewable energy.