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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Cities Save on Energy Through Rooftop Solar

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Monday, June 8, 2015   

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Some U.S. cities are using solar power to cut their energy bills, and a new report shows how mid-sized cities could install as much as 5,000 megawatts of solar on municipal property, with little to no upfront cash.

Report author John Farrell, director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), says solar presents significant opportunities for cities because of unused rooftop space – and because the private sector is poised to get the job done at no cost to taxpayers.

"How easy it would be for them to do it, because they can sign up with these companies that will install the solar for them, pay for it, and then just allow them to pay less for electricity," he says.

The ILSR projects that by 2021, 10 percent of electricity in the U.S. could be solar, and at a lower price than traditional, utility-generated electricity. According to the report, four cities in Pennsylvania could generate 100 megawatts from solar on city buildings.

The report also found municipal solar installations help create jobs. It estimates tapping Kansas City's municipal solar potential of 70 megawatts could create 1,400 jobs and add $175 million to the local economy. Farrell says installing solar on city rooftops has allowed municipalities to redirect millions in saved energy costs to other public purposes.

"Cities spend a lot of money on energy," says Farrell, "and the chance to cut energy bills for cities is a chance to save money that can be used to either reduce taxes, or to spend on other items of public interest."

The report highlights Denver, which collects solar at its city-owned airport; Lancaster, California, which produces more solar energy on a daily basis than the entire city consumes; and New Bedford, Massachusetts – which, by going solar, saves more than $6 million per year on electricity costs.


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