An examination of the challenges facing the solar industry in Southeastern states, like Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida, where utilities and governments have largely blocked residents and businesses from tapping their solar resources.
"Florida is one of several states, mostly in the Southeast, that combine copious sunshine with extensive rules designed to block its use by homeowners to generate power," reports Evan Halper.
Moreover, according to Halper, the explanation for the lack solar power, and the industry that supplies the power, might be a troublingly anti-capitalistic (and anti-democratic) one: "While the precise rules vary from state to state, one explanation is the same: opposition from utilities grown nervous by the rapid encroachment of solar firms on their business."
Halper also reports the case made by the protected, non-solar business interests: "Utility officials say the policies inhibiting solar installations result from more than a mere turf battle. Utilities bear the cost of maintaining the power lines, switches and extensive computer networks that make up the electrical grid."
FULL STORY: Rules prevent solar panels in many states with abundant sunlight
Distributed Solar Sparks ‘War of Business Models’
Threatened by the increasingly diverse electricity generation market, more utilities are pushing back on incentives for rooftop solar, such as net-metering credits.
Household Solar Popularity Builds, As Does Utility Industry Discomfort
Utilities and regulators should be looking forward, not backward, to find ways to invest in progress, rather than trying desperately to cling to yesterday's business model, which is based on encouraging consumption of polluting sources of energy.
BLM Proposes Opening 31 Million Acres of Public Lands to Solar Development
The Biden administration has released a proposal that would open tens of millions of acres in 11 Western states to solar development, a move that has clean energy advocates celebrating and environmental groups concerned.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.
BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.
The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland