A special series of the Local Energy Rules podcast focused on the growing number of cities, big and small, that have committed to transition to 100 percent renewable energy.
While local 100 percent renewable commitments are certainly inspiring, they often prompt more questions than they answer.
How can cities reach these goals? Can they do so equitably and in ways that broaden participation? Will electricity come from local, distributed resources, or far flung, centralized facilities? What can others learn from the cities that are taking the lead?
This multi-part podcast series — Voices of 100% — will be highlighting the voices of local leaders and taking a deeper dive into these questions to learn how communities are implementing renewable energy commitments.
| Episode Number: | Episode Name: | Interviewee: | Title: |
| 151 | Voices of 100%: Idaho Coalition Crafts a Data-Driven Clean Power Pledge | Lynne Barker and Scott Runkel | Blaine County Sustainability Program Manager and Community Organizer |
| 145 | Voices of 100%: Moab Anchors Utah Community Renewable Energy Program | Mila Dunbar-Irwin and Kalen Jones | Sustainability Director and City Council Member, Moab, Utah |
| 142 | Voices of 100%: Des Moines Commits to Clean Electricity Around the Clock | Kari Carney and Josh Mandelbaum | Executive Director, 1000 Friends of Iowa and Des Moines City Council member |
| 137 | Voices of 100%: A Renewable City Coalition Grows in Western Montana | Patrick Judge and Mark Juedeman | Sustainability Coordinator and Citizens Conservation Commission Member, Helena, Mont. |
| 134 | Voices of 100%: Eau Claire Solar Gardens Save the Day | Kate Beaton and Ned Noel | City Council Member and Senior Planner, Eau Claire, Wisc. |
| 131 | Voices of 100%: In Case of Emergency, Break Down Barriers to Net Zero | Mark Gamba and Natalie Rogers | Mayor and Climate Action and Sustainability Coordinator, Milwaukie, Oregon. |
| 128 | Voices of 100%: Youth Propel a Climate Action Plan in St. Louis Park | Larry Kraft and Emily Ziring | City Council Member and Sustainability Manager |
| 125 | Voices of 100%: Hanover Residents Raise Hands for Renewable Energy | April Salas | Sustainability Director, Hannover, N.H. |
| 117 | Voices of 100%: Louisville’s Clean Energy Pledge Takes On Multiple Crises | Brandon Coan and Gretchen Milliken | Metro Councilman, Louisville and Director of Advanced Planning and Sustainability |
| 114 | Voices of 100%: Gainesville’s Utilities Craft Path to Zero Carbon | Adrian Hayes-Santos and Bob Tancig | Gainesville City Commissioner and climate advocate |
| 112 | Voices of 100%: Arkansas City Advances its Energy Action Plan | Lioneld Jordan and Peter Nierengarten | Mayor and Environmental Director |
| 110 | Voices of 100%: Midway to Local Goal, Missoula Seeks New Clean Energy | Bryan von Lossberg and Dave Strohmaier | Missoula City Council President and Missoula County Commissioner |
| 106 | Voices of 100%: St. Louis Coalition Plans to Put Coal in the Past | Rev. Rodrick Burton and Andy Knott | Pastor, New Northside Missionary Baptist Church and Senior Campaign Representative, Sierra Club Beyond Coal campaign |
| 104 | Voices of 100%: Pandemic Pauses Clean Energy Planning in Georgia | Charles Utley | Associate Director, Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League |
| 102 | Voices of 100%: Michigan City Sets Steady Pace to a Clean Electricity Goal | Amy Shamroe and Tim Werner | Mayor Pro Tem and City Commissioner, Traverse City. Both are board members, Traverse City Power and Light. |
| 100 | Celebrating 100: A Spotlight on 6 Leaders of 100% Renewable Cities | John Farrell | Co-Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance and Director, Energy Democracy Initiative |
| 97 | Voices of 100%: A Long Island Town’s Ambitious Plan to Protect its Coasts and Procure Clean Energy | John Bouvier | Town Council Member, Southampton, N.Y. |
| 93 | Voices of 100%: Climate Justice Plan Upends Typical City Process, Putting Communities First | Leah Bamberger | Director of Sustainability, Providence, R.I. |
| 90 | Voices of 100%: When 100% Renewable Electricity Isn’t Enough, Burlington Targets Net Zero | Darren Springer and Miro Weinberger | General Manager of Burlington Electric, Mayor of Burlington Vermont |
| 88 | Voices of 100%: Colorado Town’s Residents and Businesses Join Forces for Clean Energy | Monique DiGiorgio and Lissa Ray | Managing Director of Local First – La Plata County, Climate Activist |
| 86 | Voices of 100%: South Carolina City Tries Green Energy in a Red State | Stephen Benjamin | Mayor, Columbia, South Carolina |
| 84 | Voices of 100%: Will Oklahoma Cities Follow Norman’s Lead to Renewable Energy? | Breea Clark | Mayor, Norman, Oklahoma |
| 82 | Voices of 100%: Cleveland Commits to Clean and Equitable Energy | Jocelyn Travis | Campaign Manager for Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign, Cleveland |
| 80 | Voices of 100%: Can Philadelphia and its Suburbs Revolutionize Their Local Energy System? | Meenal Raval | Organizer for Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 Campaign, Southeastern Pennsylvania |
| 79 | Voices of 100%: Small Iowa Town Pushes for Energy Independence | Chris Ball | Community Development Director, City of Bloomfield, Iowa |
| 76 | Voices of 100%: Youth Push Small Minnesota Town to Act on Changing Climate and Invest in Local, Renewable Energy | Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux | Mayor, Grand Marais, Minn. |
| 71 | Voices of 100%: Boulder Takes Bold Steps to Support Local Renewable Energy | Jonathan Koehn | Regional Sustainability Director, City of Boulder, Colo. |
| 68 | Voices of 100%: Midwestern City Pressures Incumbent Utility to Clean Up Its Act | Raj Shukla | Chair, Sustainable Madison Committee |
| 65 | Voices of 100%: Abita Springs Fights for Community Solar in Louisiana | LeAnn Magee | Chair, Abita Committee for Energy Sustainability |
| 63 | Voices of 100%: Will Portland Voters Opt for New Equitable Clean Energy Fund? | Alan Hipólito | Executive Director, Verde; Leader, Portland Clean Energy Initiative |
| 62 | Voices of 100%: Atlanta Works Toward Clean Energy for All | Megan O’Neil | Energy Programs Manager, City of Atlanta |
| 61 | Voices of 100%: San Diego’s Pathway Forward | Cody Hooven | Chief Sustainability Officer, City of San Diego |
| 60 | Voices of 100%: Shifting the Paradigm toward Renewable Power in Pueblo, Colo. | Larry Atencio | City Council Member and Mayoral Candidate, City of Pueblo, Colo. |
| 58 | Voices of 100%: Mayor Dale Ross on Georgetown’s Successful Switch to Renewable Power | Dale Ross | Mayor, Georgetown, Texas |
Almost 200 local and state governments across the country have pledged to transition their communities to 100% renewable energy. To meet these goals, communities need...
In 2018, numerous states, utilities, and cities made big resolutions to shift to 100 percent clean energy. In a special New Year’s episode of Local...
We’re inspired by the passage of the Portland Clean Energy Initiative this week, a ballot measure that will now provide $30 million per year for...
As more cities pledge their commitment to purchase 100 percent of their power from renewable sources, some researchers question the feasibility of such energy policies....
Only by relying on one another, cultivating a spirit of togetherness, and taking big, collective action in our communities can we win the future we all deserve. A future where we all have the freedom to control our own destinies, unshackled from the whims of corporate bosses, liberated to build lives and livelihoods that embody the character of our communities. If you believe in this future, support our work today.