Energy

In Depth

The 2024 Community Power Scorecard

Maria McCoy

March 20, 2024

Communities can do a lot to advance energy democracy, but some tools must be granted by state policy. This annual scorecard from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative surveys a suite of 18 policies that help or hinder local clean energy action. READ MORE

Community Solar Tracker

Maria McCoy

April 16, 2024

ILSR tracks community solar capacity in states with formal programs that allow non-utility ownership. This quarterly update (2023 Q4) shows the capacity built in nine states, with a focus on projects in investor-owned utility service territory. READ MORE

Report: Will Long-Term Co-op Contracts Give Way to Affordable Clean Energy?

Maria McCoy

October 30, 2023

ILSR’s new report, The Rural Electric Rift, examines the struggle of electric distribution cooperatives and their members to restore local control over electricity purchasing and harness the benefits of affordable clean energy. READ MORE

Recently Posted

Standing Rock’s Wind Project Puts People First — Episode 208 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

April 24, 2024

Christina Hollenback and Joseph McNeil discuss how SAGE Development Authority has created a model for community-led wind development and why community ownership is so important to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. READ MORE

Three Ways to Green the Grid Without New Transmission

John Farrell

April 18, 2024

Transmission lines are slow and expensive to build. This commentary by John Farrell proposes three faster, cheaper, and more efficient tools that could help the climate advocacy and clean energy communities meet their collective goals. READ MORE

Community Solar Tracker

Maria McCoy

April 16, 2024

Ann Arbor’s Public Pathway to Reliable Power — Episode 207 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

April 12, 2024

Gregory Woodring discusses the ways that investor-owned utility DTE Energy has failed Ann Arbor customers and how the city could take over and provide better service. READ MORE

Community Power Wins and Losses in 2023

Maria McCoy

April 3, 2024

The decisions of state legislatures have big consequences for how communities drive clean energy access and hold utilities accountable. This post breaks down how the policies that states passed last year impacted ILSR’s 2024 Community Power Scorecard. READ MORE

In Depth

The 2024 Community Power Scorecard

Community Solar Tracker

Report: Will Long-Term Co-op Contracts Give Way to Affordable Clean Energy?

Recently Posted

Standing Rock’s Wind Project Puts People First — Episode 208 of Local Energy Rules

Three Ways to Green the Grid Without New Transmission

Community Solar Tracker

Ann Arbor’s Public Pathway to Reliable Power — Episode 207 of Local Energy Rules

Community Power Wins and Losses in 2023

How Big Utilities Are Impeding Clean Energy

This report explores how corporate concentration in the energy sector is harming Americans — and what we can do to fight back.

Local Energy Rules Podcast

Sharing powerful stories of successful local renewable energy

Community Power Map

Mapping local renewable energy and how states help or hinder local power.

Community Power Toolkit

Your starting point for building local power for renewable energy.