Utility Company Makeover
David Roberts at Grist has a rather thought-provoking article on how utility companies can be transformed to take advantage of new, cleaner technologies. Mr. Roberts asserts that distributed generation will not mean the downfall of the grid, but that distributed generation and energy efficiency beg for a new model, one where the utility companies may facilitate an energy marketplace, but do not control the source of energy. I would recommend reading this in conjunction with an article by High Country News titled " Haywired ." Although a subscription is required for the article, the gist of it is that the transmission system in this country is built around an old paradigm that cannot take advantage of the flexibility offered by clean energy, including rooftop solar. Essentially, both articles argue that we need a new energy paradigm. Utilities want to replace old coal power plants connected to a behemoth transmission line grid with new natural gas and wind facilities