Tag Archives: local
Palo Alto Goes 100% Carbon-Neutral
The City of Palo Alto has voted to use only carbon neutral sources of electricity from now on, effective immediately. It can do that because the city owns the utility and recognizes environmental sustainability as a top priority. “Palo Alto has been a leader in reducing its carbon emissions,” says Mayor Greg Scharff, “but when we realized we could achieve a carbon neutral electric supply right [...]
Desert Counties DO Benefit from Utility Projects
As other reporters and bloggers have pointed out, Sunday’s Los Angeles Times ran a one-sided and misinformed article questioning the economic benefits of utility-scale solar projects on desert counties. Let’s be perfectly clear – the counties where utility-scale solar projects are being built are benefitting significantly in direct and economic investments, tax revenues and job creation. For example, our [...]
Sustainability: Not Just A Game in Pro Sports
Stadiums, arenas, playing fields and other sports venues present a unique management challenge for waste management, water conservation and electricity consumption. Consider your average home game. In a few short hours, thousands of fans leave an impact on parking lots, restrooms and consume huge amounts of food and drinks. Countless kilowatt hours of electricity go toward [...]
Mitt Romney Loves Fossil Fuels
Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s “new” energy plan, relies on 19th century fossil fuel technology. It is but the latest incarnation of a longstanding Republican obsession with oil and gas. Romney’s energy strategy is reliant on Canada’s environmentally disastrous tar sands. He wants to expedite the Keystone XL pipeline, reduce regulations on hydraulic fracturing and ease the permitting process for offshore [...]
Retail Solar Throwdown: IKEA vs. Kohl’s
It’s a bright week for the solar industry when two major retail chains announce their support of solar energy initiatives, so much so that they’re winning awards and setting new solar records! The international home products company IKEA recently reported its fourth solar PV installation in just one week, more than the store has ever achieved [...]
In Focus: Sustainable Neighborhoods
What’s more appealing; a community that consists of roads and houses and more roads or one that’s built with open space, parks, paths and trails? For most people it would be the second option. Why? Most likely it’s because neighborhood with open spaces, parks, path and trails presents itself with a high quality of life [...]
Solar Investing Goes Mainstream
Thousands of Americans log in to online trading accounts every day to manage personal stock portfolios. Now, there’s a new option for individual investors. I recently took advantage of this option by creating an account with Solar Mosaic and investing a small amount of money, along with about 85 other individuals, in a 26-kilowatt rooftop solar [...]
The Philadelphia Phillies Go Local for Solar
The Philadelphia Phillies and their mascot the Phanatic have recently renewed their commitment to renewable energy, they’ve been buying Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) for a number of years now. But this time, they’re buying Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) that will be produced in Pennsylvania at the 6 megawatt Keystone Solar Project by Community Energy, [...]
Why Cost-Effective Local Solar will Change Everything
With the cost of solar power plunging and retail electric prices rising, 100 million Americans in the nation’s largest cities will be able to “go solar” for a lower price than grid electricity in the next ten years. Seizing this opportunity requires rethinking electricity policy and planning even while solar produces less than 1% of [...]