Solar stars and tools for getting off fossil fuels Providing information and ideas to build a healthier, more sustainable America. - May 2022 - Solar booms in American cities The amount of solar power in just nine U.S. cities today exceeds the amount in the entire country just 10 years ago. That’s one of the main findings of the 2022 edition of Shining Cities, a survey of the solar capacity of cities across the nation. The report also found that 15 cities have increased their solar capacity tenfold since 2014, with Honolulu, Las Vegas and San Diego leading the nation in solar capacity per capita. Shining Cities was covered by CNN, Yahoo! News, and The Sacramento Bee. How Texas local governments can lead on renewable energy Local governments in Texas and around the country are eager to lead the charge toward an energy system powered by renewable energy. Cities and counties have access to an array of tools and mechanisms to help drive that transition away from fossil fuels. Our recent white paper, Clean Energy Pathways for Texas, explored the tool most commonly used today – renewable energy credits (RECs) – and argued that RECs need to be complemented by other approaches to maximize the difference local governments can make in promoting clean energy. On the blog Analyst James Horrox explains why gas taxes should be treated like any other tax, and why the revenues from them should go towards the most pressing needs rather than be earmarked for roads … Senior Analyst Tony Dutzik digs into the energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining industry, where many companies are trying to claim environmental friendliness by using renewable power. He argues that using a huge amount of renewable energy – especially for little or no social benefit – isn’t helpful. Frontier Group staff Susan Rakov, Director Tony Dutzik and Elizabeth Ridlington, Associate Directors and Senior Policy Analysts James Horrox and Bryn Huxley-Reicher, Policy Analysts Frontier Group is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Subscribe to this newsletter Frontier Group | 1129 State Street, Suite 10, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]