All Posts
Minneapolis Health Department Splits the Bill with Green Investors — Episode 121 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
January 13, 2021
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Patrick Hanlon discuss Green Cost Share: a program that promotes public health by matching investments in solar and energy efficiency projects.READ MORE
Model Ordinances to Support Ground-Mounted Distributed Solar
Lilli Ambort
January 6, 2021
This post explores how a community can put together a model solar ordinance. One example is Stearns County, Minn., whose solar ordinance protects pollinator habitat and ensures benefits to the wider community.READ MORE
A Portland Fund, Collected from Corporations, Finances Community Benefits — Episode 120 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
December 30, 2020
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Jaimes Valdez about the Portland Clean Energy Fund: a climate action fund for racial and social justice.READ MORE
Let’s Talk About Solar, Equity, and Monopoly Power in 2021
December 22, 2020
2020 demonstrated that distributed solar isn’t just economically competitive or a superior job creator, it’s better for everyone. In this year-end post, Energy Democracy Initiative Director John Farrell describes where that lesson should take advocates in 2021.READ MORE
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2020 Q3
Maria McCoy
December 18, 2020
Renewables are bouncing back after a COVID-19 pandemic punch; in the third quarter of 2020, solar comprised a near-record 60 percent of new power generation capacity. Here's the latest update from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative.READ MORE
In Seattle, Corporations Must Pay Their Fair Share to Support Climate Justice — Episode 119 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
December 16, 2020
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Jill Mangaliman and Abigail Juaner about Jumpstart Seattle: a corporate payroll tax that will fund housing and Green New Deal initiatives.READ MORE
National Community Solar Programs Tracker
Maria McCoy
December 9, 2020
16 states have policies allowing some form of community renewable energy. This quarterly update (2020 Q3) shows the capacity built in states with most active programs: Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York. It focuses on programs in investor-owned utility service territory.READ MORE
A Solar Settlement for the Good of the Grid — Episode 118 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
December 2, 2020
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and Vote Solar’s Thad Culley discuss a net metering settlement underway in the Carolinas: a compromise benefitting the utility, customer-generators, and the electric grid.READ MORE
Why Minnesota's Community Solar Program is the Best
December 1, 2020
Minnesota's community solar program hit 757 megawatts in November 2020, enough to power more than 100,000 homes each year or about as much capacity as a typical nuclear power plant!READ MORE
Voices of 100%: Louisville’s Clean Energy Pledge Takes On Multiple Crises — Episode 117 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
November 18, 2020
For this Voices of 100% episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell talks with Brandon Coan and Gretchen Milliken about Louisville, Ky.'s 100% renewable pledge and how it intersects with the fight for racial justice.READ MORE
The Other 2020 Elections: Communities Put Clean Energy/Climate on the Ballot
November 11, 2020
In the 2020 election, several communities had clean energy on the ballot as well as candidates for President, Congress, and state and local races. Here’s a brief overview several ballot measures illustrating how cities are moving at a rapid pace, creating new funding to support local clean energy, and how cREAD MORE
Community Power Opportunity for Rural Residents
Maria McCoy
November 9, 2020
In this 10 minute presentation for the Radically Rural Summit, John Farrell explains how community choice aggregation lets cities advance local priorities and affordable electricity.READ MORE
The Post-Election Potential for a 30 Million Solar Home Stimulus — Episode 116 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
November 4, 2020
For this post-Election Day episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, John Farrell and Katie Kienbaum discuss the intersection between federal policy and 30 Million Solar Rooftops: a vision for equitable economic recovery built on climate protection and energy democracy.READ MORE
ILSR's John Farrell Presents at the National Solar Congress
Maria McCoy
October 29, 2020
In this video, John Farrell and Shalanda Baker present their proposal for 30 Million Solar Rooftops at the National Solar Congress.READ MORE
Berkeley Puts Equitable Climate Action on the Ballot — Episode 115 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
October 21, 2020
In this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Ben Paulos discuss how voting yes to a climate equity action fund (Measure HH) will advance Berkeley’s zero carbon goal — all while advancing energy equity.READ MORE