skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Federal inquiry traces payments from Gaetz to women; a new Florida-Puerto Rico partnership poised to transform higher-ed landscape; MT joins Tribes to target Canadian mining pollution; Heart health plummets in rural SD and nationwide; CO working families would pay more under Trump tax proposals.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Transgender rights in Congress, a historic win for Utah's youngest elected official, scrutiny of Democratic Party leadership, and the economic impact of Trump's tax proposals highlight America's shifting political and social landscape.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The CDC has a new plan to improve the health of rural Americans, updated data could better prepare folks for flash floods like those that devastated Appalachia, and Native American Tribes could play a key role in the nation's energy future.

Solar Tour Highlights Potential for West Virginia

play audio
Play

Monday, October 7, 2019   

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – This weekend, tours of West Virginia solar sites helped illuminate how sunlight might make more electricity here, and help power the state's economy.

Delegate Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia County, says the National Solar Tour brought about 20 people to see the panels on the roof of his small business.

Hansen, who also is president of environment and economic development for the consulting firm Downstream Strategies, says his company plans to pay off the cost of installation in about 10 years – and after that, expects to get free power "for decades."

Hansen informed visitors they could do the same, although he notes some federal solar tax breaks are set to expire if Congress doesn't act to extend them.

"If you install solar on your rooftop, you could save money over the long term," he told them, "and the longer you wait, the less money you may save."

More than 850 solar-powered homes and businesses around the country, including nearly 80 in West Virginia, opened their doors to the public over the weekend for the solar tour.

West Virginia politics has long been dominated by the coal and natural-gas industries, which may be why there essentially are no large-scale solar arrays in the state. That is unlike the neighboring states, which Hansen says get "thousands of megawatts" from utility scale solar.

But he says he's seeing more recognition from other lawmakers that the state is missing out.

"Jobs are passing us by, and I don't think that's a partisan issue," he observes. "There is a growing consensus that we do need to diversify the economy."

He adds many companies that want to get part or all of their electricity from renewable sources are deciding not to locate here: "They won't come to West Virginia, because if they plug into the grid, they're going to get 92% coal-based electricity, and that's just a non-starter for them."



get more stories like this via email

more stories
Since its founding, the CCA program has generated more than $2 billion for transportation and infrastructure upgrades, clean air and water initiatives, utility bill rebates, community solar, indoor air quality improvements and more. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

On Election Day, a broad coalition of conservationists, labor, and others helped defeat a ballot initiative to repeal Washington State's Climate …


Social Issues

play sound

In the wake of Donald Trump's re-election, teachers nationwide are bracing for more censorship battles. Currently, more than 40 laws in 22 states …

Social Issues

play sound

A new annual report shows New York City has more than 146,000 homeless students. The Advocates for Children of New York report finds this is an …


More than 3,000 Maine apprentices were actively working on industry-recognized skill certification in 2022, according to the Maine Department of Labor. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

State officials in Maine said they are working to expand the number of registered apprenticeship programs to help counter a persistent worker shortage…

Social Issues

play sound

School boards are nonpartisan, but a recent trend in Wyoming shows far-right candidates are bringing national politics to local elections. Public …

In 2020, roughly 9.9% of all U-S adults over age 20 were, or 28.6 million people, were affected by cardiovascular disease, according to a review article from the American Heart Association. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

It is National Rural Health Day and experts are flagging research showing increasing health disparities between urban and rural places, including in …

Social Issues

play sound

President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have promised to pass a new tax bill, and a new report breaks down the expected winners and …

Social Issues

play sound

Recent surveys show a majority of North Dakotans want housing that allows them to live independently as they age. But there aren't a lot of suitable …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021