By Perry Miller, Inhabitat

After years of hard work and dedication, a third of the power generated around the world is now linked to renewable energy. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) just released new data that shows impressive growth in both wind and solar energy, which has contributed to the changes in energy sources around the globe. Read more here.

Photo posted by Inhabitat via IRENA.

ALSO IN THE NEWS – PLUS A FEATURED VIDEO

• Tri-State Generation Change Could Bring More Wind, Solar To Rural Utilities, Colorado Public Radio. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association says it will change how it sells power to rural utilities. At its annual meeting this week, Tri-State’s 43 member utilities voted to change subscription agreements. Tri-State members include cooperatives in Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico.
• Largescale solar project planned, Gunnison Country Times
  PV panels eyed for five Gunnison County buildings: Since county buildings are served by the City of Gunnison, a three-way agreement must be reached between the city, the county and the city’s energy provider, Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN). This is a requirement by MEAN for any solar project over 25 kW. The agreement would specify the price at which MEAN will buy back any excess energy produced by the county. Currently, MEAN will pay about 4 cents for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) put back on the city’s grid for projects under 25kW. However, the county’s rate must be negotiated with MEAN because of the large size of the project to ensure adequate infrastructure is in place, said Gunnison City Manager Russ Forrest.
• Solar Power’s Benefits Don’t Shine Equally on Everyone, Scientific American
• ‘Opportunity is ripe’ for Kansas wind after Missouri OKs Grain Belt Express, Energy News Network John Hensley, senior director for research and analytics with the American Wind Energy Association, said the Grain Belt Express “is what’s going to unlock the market in Kansas. The infrastructure is critically important in this area.”
• $2.4B Wind Transmission Project Gains Momentum and Investors, Energy News-Record
  SOO Green Renewable Rail: The project, named for Canadian Pacific Railway’s Soo line, would run an underground high-voltage direct current transmission line along 349 miles of the rail firm’s existing U.S. track, from Mason City, Iowa, to near Chicago. Right-of-way is in place for about 85% of the route.
• Standard Solar Opens New Office in Chicago to Support Growing Midwest Solar Business,
  Business Wire
• IN DEPTH: Renewable energy growing in Wisconsin, Juneau County Star-Times
• America’s Top Colleges for Renewable Energy: Who’s Leading the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy on Campus?, Environment Maine. Resource: Learn more about Environment America’s campaign for 100% renewable energy on college campuses.
• Repowering old mines with new energies in the southwestern United States, by Paolo Natali, Senior Associate, Rocky Mountain Institute. Published by GreenBiz. Over the last several years, Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) Sunshine for Mines Initiative has embarked on several key partnerships with mining companies on the redevelopment of closed mine sites in the Southwest. 
• Utilities See a Money Maker in Electric Vehicle Charging Business — And Growing Competition, Inside Climate News
• Featured Video: Frank Conversations – Past and Present of renewable energy in Nebraska, NTV

OP-ED 

You can’t kill the solar industry — and all attempts just make us stronger, by Tony Clifford, Chief Development Officer of Standard Solar, PV Magazine 

Illinois is beginning to build a robust solar industry in the wake of passing its Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016, and they’re in the process of following it up with a Clean Energy Jobs Act this year. And they’re not the only Midwestern state to join the Solar Revolution. Minnesota is the birthplace of the best community solar program in the nation, and Michigan is (albeit slowly) bringing its solar policies into the 21st century.