On Wednesday, February 15th, Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) teamed up with YellowLite and other representatives from Ohio's alternative energy companies to talk to Ohio’s State Representatives and Senators on the importance of developing Ohio’s renewable energy economy.…
The main success the SunShot program has been involved in happens to be through investment in R&D research which the DOE states a price tag of $2.3 Billion. This investment fuels private sector innovations which include an estimated 274 patent families.…
The benefits of the RPS would include lower electricity bills for Ohio citizens by spurring greater competition for different forms of energy creation. This would lead to the creation of good paying jobs in solar and wind as the industry continues to make strides forward. Currently, more than 210,000 workers are employed in the solar industry in America including an estimated 4,800 in Ohio.…
More than 60 witnesses testified before the Ohio Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in opposition to Senate Bill 320 and a call to reinstate the RPS. SB 320 would introduce a voluntary compliance requirement for utilities that would, in essence, act as a de facto continuation of the current RPS freeze.…
America needs a modernized grid infrastructure as well as competitive energy markets. Solar energy prices are decreasing every year. Solar is a booming industry that is helping to create American jobs and grow our economy. It is in the best interest for America if solar is supported at the Federal level.…
Surprisingly, renewable energy, in particular solar, has not been a major talking point in this election season. Where do the two candidates for the presidency of the United States stand on solar? What are their platforms and future plans?…
Net metering is the term used to explain the crediting of electricity generated by solar energy systems during times they produce more than they use. In this case, electricity will be transferred back onto the grid and the electrical meter will run backward. Net metering as a policy is the backbone of the solar industry. 43 states have adopted net metering as a state policy, three have voluntary utility programs, and four have no program whatsoever. Differences in state's net metering can vary for customers in different regions.…
Earlier we summarized the federal Clean Power Plan (CPP) and its impact on Ohio. The plan sets varying energy related carbon emissions targets on each of the 50 states. At the highest level, the goal of the plan is to strengthen the existing trend of shifting to clean, renewable energy production by providing more certainty for everyone involved. Having a publicly visible target for planners, regulators and legislators, product suppliers, as well as companies and homeowners to see will make for a smoother transition to the advanced energy future. However, some believe the goals are more challenging for certain regions or states where traditional fossil fuel generation is still more entrenched. An additional and optional Clean Energy Incentive Program (CEIP) is on the table as a tool to ease some of these concerns.…
Analysts are still rolling up the numbers for solar energy system installations in 2015. Throughout the year many things worked in favor the buyer, and some original forecasts will likely be exceeded. The market is maturing from the supply side through installation all the way to the service end. Many disreputable companies and ones who couldn’t stay competitive have fallen out. The outlook for 2016 is even more optimistic than the outlook a year ago for many analysts. Combine these and solar for residential, commercial, and even utility scale will continue to bloom. We look at a few of the positive factors and forecasts that will most likely have the most influence primarily on homeowners.…
Some in Ohio are suggesting that solar power for commercial and residential installations is growing at such a high rate that it may be too difficult to measure it. Even so, according to a statewide renewable energy group, Green Energy Ohio (GEO), the state still isn’t in the top 20 for production. Although difficult to pin down exactly, GEO has collected data from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and estimates the state now produces in excess of 120 MW from over 1,500 solar energy installations.
At the time of this posting, the PUCO and two major utilities, FirstEnergy and AEP Ohio, are in the midst of reviewing rate cases in a way that can have significant impact on both costs and future policy. And an Energy Mandates Study Committee has been empaneled to review current policy. While this topic is not new even to readers of YellowLite’s blog, now is a good time summarize and update.…
