Energy Democracy Initiative - Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Key Topics

Individuals subscribe to a portion of a nearby solar garden and get credits on their utility bill for the electricity it produces.

Solar panels on the roofs of homes, businesses, and government buildings.

Private companies with a government-granted monopoly over electricity delivery.

Utility companies owned by the cities they serve.

When communities get to make their own decisions about clean energy projects.

Community-scaled heating and cooling networks that do not produce greenhouse gasses.

We help people aspire and argue for what they need: clean, local, affordable energy and the chance to own it, individually or collectively.
We help people understand why those in power won’t provide it for them by explaining the monopoly utility system, its perverse incentives, and the failure of public oversight.
We push those in power to act in alignment, either directly or in partnership with allies, by intervening in regulatory proceedings, advocating for new policies, and supporting a wide network of climate and community advocates.
We pressure or collaborate with those with power in the climate movement to care about scale, ownership, and energy justice.
We highlight and amplify the successes of others to fuel the work of local organizers, especially through our Local Energy Rules podcast.

See the top states in energy democracy policy

Podcast highlighting local successes and strategies to fight utility monopoly power

Report on the benefits of distributed, community-owned, locally-sourced clean energy

Strategies for cities and communities to pursue energy democracy

Where can you find the most community solar?

Report exposing investor-owned utilities as an abusive monopoly harming our communities, climate, and democracy

Minnesota Power's sale would saddle captive utility customers with higher rates, but bring millions to shareholders.

Utility overspending, not rooftop solar, is driving California’s rising rates – Richard McCann debunks the “cost shift” myth.

In this webinar, climate activist Bill McKibben and a panel of energy experts will discuss how powerful monopoly utilities block climate progress.

Ninety-nine percent of the power capacity added in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2025 was renewable.