Universal electricity access (click here) – one of the targets of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative for 2030 – will remain unachievable unless countries adopt a market-based approach to off-grid renewable energy deployment. This report highlights key findings and recommendations of the Second International Off-grid Renewable Energy Conference (IOREC 2014), organised by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in partnership with off-grid and regional agencies....
There are larger green energy producers in solar and wind and let's' not forget hydroelectric as well, but, there are also many private owners with conversions to solar and/or wind energy. All those private owners also produce excess energy beyond their battery storage. They don't just flip a switch and turn off the wind or sun. In that is an understanding these private owners are also secure sources to contribute to the grid. It is in the best interest of any local government to explore the potential of private owners and harnessing their excess to reduce costs to customers.
There is no reason any local government can't build their own electric cooperative to build greater local capacity. In a time when the weather is becoming more and more disruptive to power, the commercial producer and vast power lines are becoming increasingly obsolete.
The world is in a very dangerous place in relation to climate and weather patterns that have resulted. That is especially true of the First World nations including the USA. In the USA a single storm puts thousands if not tens and hundreds of thousands of people out of the reach of energy for hours and days at a time. Local authorities can explore the reality of having a back up power supply in harnessing the excess electricity produced by local owners.
There is a greater capacity for private owners of solar and wind to produce energy for their local communities. This potential should be explored by any local government on establishing a local authority and the potential to expand that capacity into the future.
