Through savvy design and the intensity of the sun, renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly impossible to dismiss as viable replacements for fossil fuels. It has recently been reported by ScienceAlert, an Australian and New Zealand online science only publication, that a solar thermal plant in Newcastle, Australia has heated steam to 1,058 degrees Fahrenheit and to 3,400 PSI, which are measurements that categorize the steam as “supercritical” in the energy sector. Only supercritical steam can power the most advanced generators in the world. Such a feat was previously only possible through the burning of fossil fuels and  as such this marks a huge step forward for solar.

Read more at ScienceAlert.

 We have seen a noticeable growing pattern of utility monopolies who are pulling all policy stops to slow the growth of the solar market. There was a fight against net metering for solar one that reached high profile last year in sunny Arizona as well as another in Georgia which led to a coalition between the Sierra Club and the Tea Party.

Solar installations have become the chief iconic symbol for independence and taking control of our energy future. A growing constituency of ratepayers do not want to be held hostage to the cost uncertainty of fossil fuels by being left to the whim of utility monopolies who are passive aggressively trying to slow the transition to renewable options.

Xcel is making moves in the right direction towards a cleaner energy future. CEO Ben Fowke shares his thoughts on meeting the EPA carbon rules and much more

As part of an ongoing series, Community Power is reaching out to the public to hear their reasons for being a part of this young and engaging grassroots organization. 

Earlier this week at the City Council meeting, we saw a good turn out of constituents who were concerned about the energy future of the City of Minneapolis. Here are their testimonials:

At the July 7^th hearing, Minneapolis City Council members on the Health, Environment and Community Engagement Committee made it clear from the dais they intend for the proposed city-utility partnership to take action to accomplish some significant change in meeting the city's energy goals and vision.

This productive discussion among council members followed a presentation where the City Coordinator shared the Utility Franchise Negotiation Update, as well as the City-Utility Clean Energy Partnership Outline and a receive and file Request about recent decisions on Energy in Minneapolis.

A PARTNERSHIP COMMITTED TO TAKING ACTION

Council Member Jacob Frey echoed Minneapolis Energy Option’s expectations about the city utility partnership:

“What I want to make sure is that this partnership structure ultimately has some teeth... to make some decisions at the end of the day. As many of you know I am not for just for setting up a work group or a task force or a commission or something that talks a whole bunch and goes home and watches TV. I want something to happen at the end of this and so I just need to make sure we are moving in that direction….”

Committee Chair Cam Gordon addressed Jacob Frey’s concern by stating he has a priority to approve a work plan for the first year of the partnership so that they will have items to work on right from the get go.