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Video: Advancing Energy Democracy with Community Renewable Energy

Video: Advancing Energy Democracy with Community Renewable Energy

John Farrell

October 11, 2018

This 30-minute video on advancing energy democracy is a companion guide to the NAACP Just Energy Toolkit, Module 4: Starting Community-Owned Clean Energy Projects. It begins with an video interview on the site of the Shiloh Temple community solar project in north Minneapolis, a project that in many ways epitomizes energy democracy.READ MORE


Voices of 100%: Atlanta Works Toward Clean Energy for All — Episode 62 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Voices of 100%: Atlanta Works Toward Clean Energy for All — Episode 62 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Marie Donahue

October 10, 2018

Across the U.S., over 80 cities have made commitments to transition to 100 percent renewable energy. As the largest such city in the Southeast, the city of Atlanta has been a regional leader in evaluating how to succeed. In our fourth episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, Atlanta’s Energy Programs Manager Megan O’Neil speaks with John Farrell about the city’s relationship with its incumbent utility, what mix of renewable and energy efficiency makes sense, and how robust community engagement has helped ensure all residents will access the benefits of renewables and can help shape theirREAD MORE


New Jersey Publishes Model Community Solar Program Rules

New Jersey Publishes Model Community Solar Program Rules

John Farrell

October 3, 2018

Joining 14 other states, New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities recently rolled out its draft community solar (or “shared renewables”) program rules. The program captures many of the best aspects of community solar programs, including generous compensation, project sizes, and a focus on access for low-income customers.READ MORE


Of New Power Generation, How Much is on the Roof? Quarterly Update — 2018 Q2

Of New Power Generation, How Much is on the Roof? Quarterly Update — 2018 Q2

Marie Donahue

September 27, 2018

A large amount of new power generation capacity was added during the second quarter of 2018, but not in the form renewable or distributed generation advocates might hope, according to the latest update from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative. Our updated chart of new power plant capacity illustrates how growth in renewable energy is overshadowed by an increase in natural gas capacity and how distributed solar in particular stacks up.READ MORE


How Your Local Electeds Can Support Clean Energy

How Your Local Electeds Can Support Clean Energy

John Farrell

September 25, 2018

Municipal elections often fall off the radar during national ones, but cities retain a surprising amount of power over their energy future. What can you ask a local candidate or elected official to pursue? The following list of 11 resolutions, actions, and rules can make your local city council or mayor a clean energy champion.READ MORE


Voices of 100%: San Diego’s Pathway Forward — Episode 61 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Voices of 100%: San Diego’s Pathway Forward — Episode 61 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Marie Donahue

September 19, 2018

As a growing number of U.S. cities make commitments to reach 100 percent renewable electricity, how are cities making plans to achieve these goals? In our third episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, San Diego’s Chief Sustainability Officer Cody Hooven joins John Farrell to discuss how the city is making progress toward its ambitious goal to shift to 100 percent renewable energy.READ MORE


Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best

Why Minnesota's Community Solar Program is the Best

John Farrell

September 17, 2018

Minnesota's community solar program hit a record 435 megawatts of operational capacity in September 2018. We note a new finding, that the total queue has actually shrunk in size since January 2017. Two charts show the progress of the program.READ MORE


Video: Solutionary Perspectives Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy Webinar

Video: Solutionary Perspectives Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy Webinar

Marie Donahue

September 5, 2018

Earlier this summer, ILSR Energy Democracy Research Associate Marie Donahue participated in an online video series entitled Solutionary Perspectives, produced by the Backbone Campaign’s Solutionary Rails project. The recent episode “Clean Energy, Community Economy, and Energy Democracy” released last week focuses on the topic of community solar, highlighting on-the-ground examples from Maryland and key resources from ILSR.READ MORE


Voices of 100%: Shifting the Paradigm toward Renewable Power in Pueblo, Colo. — Episode 60 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Voices of 100%: Shifting the Paradigm toward Renewable Power in Pueblo, Colo. — Episode 60 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Marie Donahue

August 29, 2018

As a growing number of U.S. cities make commitments to reach 100 percent renewable electricity, how are cities making plans to achieve these goals? In our second episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell interviews city council member Larry Atencio from Pueblo, Colo., about the ambitious goal the city has made to shift to 100 percent renewable power.READ MORE


Why Energy Codes Matter, and What Cities Can Do

Why Energy Codes Matter, and What Cities Can Do

John Farrell

August 24, 2018

How efficient are buildings in your community? That depends a lot on the building code, which states (and sometimes cities) can use to set minimum standards for energy efficiency. See a chart comparing building energy codes and what cities can do to save their residents and businesses money on heating and cooling their buildings.READ MORE


A New Credit Union Aims to Lower the Cost of Clean Energy — Episode 59 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

A New Credit Union Aims to Lower the Cost of Clean Energy — Episode 59 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

John Farrell

August 22, 2018

What if your savings account could be put to use enabling clean energy investments from insulation to solar to electric vehicles? Starting this summer it can. John Farrell spoke with volunteer board chair Blake Jones of the newly launched Clean Energy Credit Union in August 2018 about this online-only financial institution dedicated to financing home insulation, solar, electric vehicles, and electric bikes and more.READ MORE


Visualizing California’s Booming Solar Market

Visualizing California’s Booming Solar Market

Marie Donahue

August 15, 2018

Today, California claims a whopping 750,000 unique solar projects — an order of magnitude more than the number that existed in the state a decade ago. We illustrate this impressive, rapid expansion of solar projects throughout California over time in a cool, new animated map.READ MORE


How Cheap is 100% Renewable Electricity? Really Really.

How Cheap is 100% Renewable Electricity? Really Really.

John Farrell

August 10, 2018

Bottom line: in nearly 40 states, renewable electricity is less expensive than the existing power supply.READ MORE


Voices of 100%: Mayor Dale Ross on Georgetown’s Successful Switch to Renewable Power — Episode 58 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Voices of 100%: Mayor Dale Ross on Georgetown's Successful Switch to Renewable Power — Episode 58 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

John Farrell

August 8, 2018

As a growing number of U.S. cities make commitments to reach 100 percent renewable electricity, how can cities actually achieve these goals? In this first episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell interviews Mayor Dale Ross from Georgetown, Texas, one of the few communities in the country that has already reached its ambitious goal for renewable power. The two discuss how Georgetown reached its goal, what benefits it has seen from prioritizing local power, and what the city plans to do next.READ MORE


Where Should Dollars Come From for Fuel Switching?

Where Should Dollars Come From for Fuel Switching?

John Farrell

August 2, 2018

The triumph of renewable electricity has implications for other sectors traditionally controlled by the fossil fuel industry, and for regulators of those industries. Public overseers of gas and electric utilities now face the question of whether it’s appropriate to redirect scarce conservation dollars to “fuel switching,” providing financial incentives to switch energy customers to rapidly-becoming-renewable electricity.READ MORE