Clean Coalition archive

Past projects, guides, studies, and more

Resources for unleashing clean local energy

Since our launch in 2009, the Clean Coalition has amassed a wealth of free resources on interconnection, distributed energy valuation, Feed-In Tariffs, and more. To help proliferate clean local energy across the United States, we have made the resources below, previously in our Resource Hub, available to anyone.

The Clean Coalition’s comprehensive Resource Hub illuminates the locational value of distributed generation and helped establish the foundation for Minnesota’s value of solar tariff legislation.

John Farrell
Director of Democratic Energy Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Aerial view of a parking lot covered with solar panels, with cars parked in rows between the panels.

CLEAN Programs

Feed-In Tariffs with streamlined interconnection

The Clean Coalition evaluates, designs, and implements CLEAN Programs: Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) with streamlined interconnection and Market Responsive Pricing.

CLEAN Programs make it easier to build clean local energy projects, connect them to the grid, and establish long-term contracts to sell the power produced to utilities. With CLEAN Programs in place, financing clean local energy projects becomes much easier, and the whole community benefits.

Silhouette of a power plant and electricity pylons against an orange sunset sky.

Interconnection

A key priority for the Clean Coalition is simplifying and streamlining the process for connecting wholesale distributed generation (WDG) facilities to the grid in a timely, cost-effective, and fair manner.

Our materials on interconnection, based on the Clean Coalition’s deep experience around the country, can guide the improvement of interconnection procedures.

Electricity pylons against a sunset sky with vibrant hues of orange and blue.

Grid planning

Distributed energy resources (DER) like local renewables, advanced inverters, demand response, and energy storage are transforming our power system. Optimizing the locations and portfolios of DER will be key to maximizing the value to utilities and ratepayers.

The Clean Coalition is helping utilities and policymakers adopt smarter grid planning process and establish precedents that can be replicated nationally.

Solar panels installed above parking spaces with parked cars, set against a backdrop of high-rise residential buildings.

Valuing clean local energy

Clean local energy, or distributed generation, adds tremendous value by providing cost-effective power to ratepayers, utilities, and communities. Local renewables:

    • Avoid the expensive and inefficient long-distance transmission of power
    • Strengthen local economies and communities
    • Enhance energy security by providing for a more robust and resilient grid
    • Boost America’s energy independence

The Clean Coalition has a number of resources that provide information on the full costs and benefits of distributed generation.

Solar panels and wind turbines in a field under a clear sky, with electricity pylons in the background.

Renewables integration

Renewables are reliable. The Clean Coalition has modeled how intelligent grid solutions — such as demand response, advanced inverters, and energy storage — can support the integration of high penetrations of renewables onto the grid. The results show that local renewables and intelligent grid solutions enable system operators to maintain grid reliability by keeping power, voltage, and frequency in balance.
Two workers in yellow helmets installing solar panels on a residential rooftop on a sunny day.

Solar Solutions Guide

While solar has becoming more mainstream, many building owners remain hesitant about opening their property up to solar installations. Working with Southern California Edison (SCE), the Clean Coalition created the Solar Solutions Guide to address building owner concerns.

The guide addresses six major concern areas expressed by building owners in Orange County, California regarding solar adoption.

3d rendering of a multi-level parking garage at dusk with several cars parked and exterior lighting on.

Downtown Palo Alto Net Zero Energy Initiative

The Downtown Palo Alto Net Zero Energy (DPANZE) Initiative aimed to achieve Net Zero Energy (NZE) for at least 100 existing commercial buildings in downtown Palo Alto by year-end 2017. DPANZE was designed to be replicated across the rest of Palo Alto and far beyond. In addition to getting existing buildings to NZE through significant energy efficiency measures and local renewables, DPANZE heavily promoted fuel switching to electrify natural gas applications and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EV).

Front view of the california state capitol building in sacramento, framed by trees, with people walking in front.

Policy briefs

These policy briefs provide in-depth explanations by the Clean Coalition concerning opportunities, challenges, and solutions to energy system issues.

Open book on a table with stacks of books around it in a library setting.

Studies on clean local energy

The Clean Coalition has collected a number of internal and third-party studies on various aspects of distributed generation. Topics include enhancing the investor appeal of renewable energy, community power, Feed-In Tariffs, economic benefits of clean local energy, and more.

Black and white image of multiple high-voltage electrical transmission towers with an array of power lines against a cloudy sky.

Intelligent grid solutions

Intelligent grid solutions enable high levels of local renewable energy, improve power quality, and enhance system resilience. The core intelligent grid solutions are:

  • Distributed generation
  • Demand response
  • Forecasting & curtailment
  • Advanced inverters
  • Energy storage
  • Monitoring, communications, & control (MC²)