Governments and utilities offer a variety of incentives to assist residents and businesses in the transition to renewable energy. Below is a sampling of federal, utility and state policies. Find more clean energy and energy savings incentives at dsireusa.org. Federal…
Monthly Archives: August 2013
Bio-energy Creates A Mass of Questions
By Jason Reagan Biomass: it’s a new word but an ancient energy source. For much of the world, the practice of gathering energy from organic material — the “bio” in “biomass” — is an everyday affair. Worldwide, about 146 billion…
Beyond Renewable: The Cutting Edge in Energy
By Chelsey Fisher The use of clean energy has increased in the nation since 2005, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While renewable energy is mostly used in more traditional ways, such as powering homes or businesses, in recent…
Charlottesville Expands Electric Vehicle Initiative
By Chelsey Fisher Throughout many large cities in Appalachia, electric vehicle chargers are increasing in availability near car dealerships, highways and tourist attractions, making it easier for owners to travel in the area. Charlottesville, Va., is one such city promoting…
Almost Always Sunny in Appalachia
Whether through a power plant or from the home, solar energy’s future is bright By Matt Grimley In a meeting earlier this year with U.S. Department of Energy employees, the secretary of energy was blunt about solar power. “I would…
Bringing A Renewed Sense of Community to our Citizens
In the latest issue of The Advocate, we feature our intrepid Red, White & Water team, which was on the road in North Carolina over the last couple months meeting with people living near toxic coal ash ponds. The response…
Spreading Knowledge of Appalachian Wildflowers
By Chelsey Fisher Rita McKinney has always had a passion for wildflowers, particularly rare North Carolina orchids. Starting in the 1980s, her personal work with a greenhouse led her to contact other horticulturalists, and eventually to volunteer in the horticulture…
Otterly Amazing: Resilient Mammals Stage an Impressive Comeback in Appalachia
By Chelsey Fisher With short legs, a slender body, webbed toes and a generally friendly personality, American river otters are one of the most charismatic creatures in the country. These four-foot-long mammals once flourished in the eastern part of the…
Goforth Creek: A Trail in Peril
By Joe Tennis Practically every other day, especially in summer, you can find 33-year-old Zack Dunn dipping his feet in the waterfalls of Goforth Creek. “We’re out once, twice, maybe three times a week,” says Dunn, a resident of Benton,…
Growing Community in the New River Valley
Story and photos by Molly Moore From a curvy, two-lane road roughly four miles from downtown Blacksburg, Va., Arlean Lambert’s property is easily recognizable. Three solar panels are mounted by a pond in front of her ranch-style home. A verdant…
