Austin American-Statesman: Renewable power, at times criticized as pie in the sky because of its high costs, is now cropping up as an energy resource in places with the narrowest of financial margins. Rural communities and nonprofit businesses, often with the help of state and foundation grants, have turned to solar panels and wind turbines to power their buildings and cut their energy costs. Without the financial help, it would be difficult for those entities to afford the upfront capital costs of the …