All Posts

Inflation Reduction Act Boosts Local Solar — Episode 164 of Local Energy Rules

Inflation Reduction Act Boosts Local Solar — Episode 164 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

August 19, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Katie Kienbaum discuss how the Inflation Reduction Act will support distributed solar through extended tax credits, a greenhouse gas reduction fund, and other incentives.READ MORE


Public Power Pt. 1: Why Take Over? — Episode 163 of Local Energy Rules

Public Power Pt. 1: Why Take Over? — Episode 163 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

August 17, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and community leaders in six different municipalization campaigns explain why a city might attempt to take over its electric utility. This is part one in a special series: The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.READ MORE


When a Win is a Win, and a Loss is a Lesson — Episode 162 of Local Energy Rules

When a Win is a Win, and a Loss is a Lesson — Episode 162 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

August 3, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, co-hosts Luke Gannon and Reggie Rucker ask John Farrell about an upcoming podcast series, “The Promise and Peril of Publicly-Owned Power.” This episode is rebroadcast from Building Local Power.READ MORE


Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best

Why Minnesota's Community Solar Program is the Best

John Farrell

July 26, 2022

Minnesota's community solar program reached 840 megawatts in July 2022, enough to power more than 100,000 homes each year or about as much capacity as a typical nuclear power plant!READ MORE


The Member Campaigns Behind a Colorado Co-op’s Evolution — Episode 161 of Local Energy Rules

The Member Campaigns Behind a Colorado Co-op’s Evolution — Episode 161 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

July 20, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Kevin Williams discuss how cooperative member-owners mobilized and campaigned for transparency, flexibility, and affordability from Delta Montrose Electric Cooperative.READ MORE


New Jersey’s Community Solar Program

New Jersey’s Community Solar Program

Mckenzie Diep

July 13, 2022

New Jersey legislators created a Community Solar Energy Pilot Program in 2018, and due to its rapid success, moved to make the program permanent in 2021. This post summarizes the policy and compiles additional New Jersey community solar resources.READ MORE


Small Solar Frees Energy From Decades of Utility-Stifled Innovation — Episode 160 of Local Energy Rules

Small Solar Frees Energy From Decades of Utility-Stifled Innovation — Episode 160 of Local Energy Rules

Maria McCoy

July 6, 2022

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Bill Nussey discuss how regulated utility monopolies are stifling energy innovation and why “small is the future” of the energy sector.READ MORE


New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q1

New Power Generation Quarterly: 2022 Q1

Maria McCoy

June 29, 2022

Only 6.4 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity went online in the first quarter of 2021. Solar generation facilities comprised 3.7 of those 6.4 gigawatts. Here's the latest update from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative.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