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Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best

Why Minnesota's Community Solar Program is the Best

John Farrell

June 27, 2022

Minnesota's community solar program reached 837 megawatts in June 2022, enough to power more than 100,000 homes each year or about as much capacity as a typical nuclear power plant!READ MORE


How Colorado Electric Customers Are Leading a Co-op’s Clean Energy Journey — Episode 159 of Local Energy Rules

How Colorado Electric Customers Are Leading a Co-op's Clean Energy Journey — Episode 159 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

June 22, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Bryan Hannegan discuss how cultural change, led by the customers, pushed Holy Cross Energy to offer innovative programs in its transition to 100 percent renewable energy.READ MORE


National Community Solar Programs Tracker

National Community Solar Programs Tracker

Maria McCoy

June 16, 2022

20 states have policies allowing some form of community renewable energy. This quarterly update (2022 Q1) shows the capacity built in five states: Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York. It focuses on programs in investor-owned utility service territory.READ MORE


A Solar Policy Shows How Solar Protects Households From High Gas Prices

A Solar Policy Shows How Solar Protects Households From High Gas Prices

John Farrell

June 14, 2022

State "value of solar" policies, as in Minnesota, create an incentive to install more solar energy in response to high natural gas prices and reduce long-term impacts on electricity customers.READ MORE


Petitioners Ask Feds to Investigate Utility Abuses of Monopoly Power — Episode 158 of Local Energy Rules

Petitioners Ask Feds to Investigate Utility Abuses of Monopoly Power — Episode 158 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

June 9, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guests Howard Crystal and Liz Veazey discuss a recent petition to the Federal Trade Commission and why electric utility practices require federal investigation.READ MORE


The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2021 Update

The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2021 Update

Maria McCoy

May 31, 2022

How much of the U.S. solar fleet is made up of smaller, distributed sources that help communities build local wealth? This 2021 update examines the size of state solar markets and the saturation of distributed and community solar systems.READ MORE


From the Archive: Ballot Initiative Shapes Iowa Town’s Fight for Local Power — Episode 157 of Local Energy Rules

From the Archive: Ballot Initiative Shapes Iowa Town’s Fight for Local Power — Episode 157 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

May 26, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the archive, guests Andrew Johnson and Joel Zook join host John Farrell to discuss how a municipal electric utility could better serve Decorah residents.READ MORE


ILSR Joins Ask for Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Utility Abuses

ILSR Joins Ask for Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Utility Abuses

John Farrell

May 20, 2022

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance joined over 200 organizations this week in asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate abuses by electric utilities to protect American consumers.READ MORE


ILSR Asks Arizona Commissioners to Consider Community Solar

ILSR Asks Arizona Commissioners to Consider Community Solar

Maria McCoy

May 19, 2022

In this letter to the Arizona Corporation Commission, ILSR highlights community solar as a pathway to building distributed solar capacity and extending the benefits of solar to more Arizona residents, businesses, and public entities.READ MORE


A People’s Playbook on Advancing Energy Justice, Despite Utility Misdirection — Episode 156 of Local Energy Rules

A People’s Playbook on Advancing Energy Justice, Despite Utility Misdirection — Episode 156 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

May 11, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Yesenia Rivera discuss the People’s Utility Justice Playbook and how to combat utility tactics that undermine energy democracy.READ MORE


Monopolistic Utility Companies Suppress the Use of Customer Data — Episode 155 of Local Energy Rules

Monopolistic Utility Companies Suppress the Use of Customer Data — Episode 155 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

April 27, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Michael Murray discuss how utilities resist data portability, even though customers have a right to their data.READ MORE


Implemented Correctly, Community Choice Energy Can Support Colorado Communities in Their Goals

Implemented Correctly, Community Choice Energy Can Support Colorado Communities in Their Goals

John Farrell

April 20, 2022

In these comments filed to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, ILSR describes how a community choice agency can better manage energy efficiency programs, support the expansion of distributed energy resources, and align with local interests.READ MORE


The Movement to Take Back Control From Monopoly Electric Utilities — Episode 154 of Local Energy Rules

The Movement to Take Back Control From Monopoly Electric Utilities — Episode 154 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

April 13, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, we share a recording of ILSR’s Democratizing Power event: a conversation with advocates about how communities have challenged monopoly power.READ MORE


Xcel’s Hosting Capacity Map Is Better, but Needs Improvement Before It’s Useful for Interconnecting Distributed Solar

Xcel’s Hosting Capacity Map Is Better, but Needs Improvement Before It’s Useful for Interconnecting Distributed Solar

Maria McCoy

April 8, 2022

In these comments filed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, ILSR notes some improvements in Xcel Energy's hosting capacity map and points to issues that require further attention.READ MORE


Despite Promising Policies, Advocates Are Still Fighting for Community Power — Episode 153 of Local Energy Rules

Despite Promising Policies, Advocates Are Still Fighting for Community Power — Episode 153 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

March 30, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guests Crystal Huang and Al Weinrub discuss the gap between policy and implementation and how ILSR’s Community Power Scorecard could better represent and mobilize local organizers.READ MORE