In November, ILSR submitted joint comments with Community Power and Cooperative Energy Futures to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commision expressing concerns about Xcel Energy’s 2019 Value of Solar calculation. The comments outline issues with the company’s assumptions and ways to improve them.… Read More
Nearly 100 U.S. cities of different sizes have made formal commitments to 100 percent renewable energy. In our sixth episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, we feature the small town of Abita Springs, the first city in Louisiana to set such a goal. LeAnn Magee, who chairs the grassroots, volunteer-led Abita Committee for Energy Sustainability that helped pass the town’s resolution, speaks with co-director of ILSR and Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell about the motivations for and approach to Abita Springs’ commitment — starting with municipal buildings and advocating for community solar.… Read More
Across the U.S., over 80 cities have made commitments to transition to 100 percent renewable energy. In our fifth episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, Alan Hipólito, director of Verde and advocate with the Portland Clean Energy Initiative, speaks with John Farrell about a unique initiative on Portland, Oregon’s ballot this Election Day. The two discuss what inspired Portland’s grassroots campaign and, if passed, how the city will fund a local, clean energy transition that centers low-income communities and people of color.… Read More
This November, millions will go to the polls to cast votes in the midterm elections. In addition to electing candidates, some voters have a unique opportunity to directly shape their local energy system. Initiatives on the ballot in Portland, Ore., Washington state, and Colorado, present opportunities and new models for advancing local renewable energy, climate goals, and energy democracy.… Read More
In an October 2018 op-ed featured in PV Magazine, John Farrell, ILSR Co-Director and Director of the Energy Democracy Initiative, argues how important shifts in both technology and decision-making are transforming the energy sector.… Read More
Across the U.S., over 80 cities have made commitments to transition to 100 percent renewable energy. As the largest such city in the Southeast, the city of Atlanta has been a regional leader in evaluating how to succeed. In our fourth episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, Atlanta’s Energy Programs Manager Megan O’Neil speaks with John Farrell about the city’s relationship with its incumbent utility, what mix of renewable and energy efficiency makes sense, and how robust community engagement has helped ensure all residents will access the benefits of renewables and can help shape their city’s energy future.… Read More
A large amount of new power generation capacity was added during the second quarter of 2018, but not in the form renewable or distributed generation advocates might hope, according to the latest update from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative. Our updated chart of new power plant capacity illustrates how growth in renewable energy is overshadowed by an increase in natural gas capacity and how distributed solar in particular stacks up.… Read More
As a growing number of U.S. cities make commitments to reach 100 percent renewable electricity, how are cities making plans to achieve these goals? In our third episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, San Diego’s Chief Sustainability Officer Cody Hooven joins John Farrell to discuss how the city is making progress toward its ambitious goal to shift to 100 percent renewable energy.… Read More
Earlier this summer, ILSR Energy Democracy Research Associate Marie Donahue participated in an online video series entitled Solutionary Perspectives, produced by the Backbone Campaign’s Solutionary Rails project. The recent episode “Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy” released last week focuses on the topic of community solar, highlighting on-the-ground examples from Maryland and key resources from ILSR.… Read More
