Resources & Publications

Report: Choosing the Electric Avenue – Unlocking Savings, Emissions Reductions, and Community Benefits of Electric Vehicles

Report

Report: Choosing the Electric Avenue – Unlocking Savings, Emissions Reductions, and Community Benefits of Electric Vehicles

The U.S. vehicle market will undergo a massive technology disruption from electric vehicles in the coming decades. Many analysts see the potential for surging sales...

Report: Energy Storage – The Next Charge for Distributed Energy

Report

Report: Energy Storage – The Next Charge for Distributed Energy

Browse the Report Introduction What is Energy Storage? Empowering Local Energy Community Solar and Storage Removing Barriers to Storage Supporting Renewable Energy Summary Footnotes DOWNLOAD...

Electric Vehicles Use Local Power to Cut Pollution and Driving Costs (Episode 29)

Podcasts and Videos

Electric Vehicles Use Local Power to Cut Pollution and Driving Costs (Episode 29)

Electric vehicles are enabling energy democracy. That’s the takeaway from the latest Building Local Power podcast episode, a discussion between guest host and Communications Manager Nick Stumo-Langer,...

What to Consider When Planning for Electric Vehicles

Article

What to Consider When Planning for Electric Vehicles

In the coming years, as electric vehicle ownership and charging infrastructure grow, communities and the energy system will be transformed. This month, we submitted comments...

Report: City Power Play – 8 Practical Local Energy Policies to Boost the Economy

Report

Report: City Power Play – 8 Practical Local Energy Policies to Boost the Economy

This report details eight practical energy policies cities can and have used to their economic advantage… Read More

How to Raise the Bar for Community Solar in Minnesota — (Bonus) Episode 255 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

How to Raise the Bar for Community Solar in Minnesota — (Bonus) Episode 255 of Local Energy Rules

Learn about the recent improvements to Minnesota's community solar program and what can be done to better encourage cooperative ownership models.

Reverse Power Flow: How Solar+Batteries Shift Electric Grid Decision Making from Utilities to Consumers

Report

Reverse Power Flow: How Solar+Batteries Shift Electric Grid Decision Making from Utilities to Consumers

For 100 years, most decisions about the U.S. electric grid have been made at the top by electric utilities, public regulators, and grid operators. That...

Distributed Power Banishes Blackouts In Puerto Rico — Episode 251 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

Distributed Power Banishes Blackouts In Puerto Rico — Episode 251 of Local Energy Rules

Learn how distributed power plants are helping everyday people in Puerto Rico save lives and keep the lights on.

Electric Cars Are the Key to Energy Independence

Electric Cars Are the Key to Energy Independence

Al Gore’s heroic speech challenging us to make our electrical system 100 percent renewable promised it would simultaneously address three major crises: the weak economy,...

The Value Idling in Electric Vehicles — Episode 182 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

The Value Idling in Electric Vehicles — Episode 182 of Local Energy Rules

Brian Callnan discusses New Hampshire Electric Cooperative’s Transactive Energy Rate pilot program and how the energy sitting in electric vehicle batteries can provide additional value...

Leveraging Distributed Power Plants To Lower Costs — (Bonus) Episode 258 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

Leveraging Distributed Power Plants To Lower Costs — (Bonus) Episode 258 of Local Energy Rules

Learn about pending Minnesota legislation to enable distributed power plants and their potential impact on energy affordability.

Electric Vehicles Unlock Local Energy Benefits, Deliver Cost Savings — Episode 51 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Podcasts and Videos

Electric Vehicles Unlock Local Energy Benefits, Deliver Cost Savings — Episode 51 of Local Energy Rules Podcast

Featuring insights from ILSR’s 2017 report on electric vehicles, Nick Stumo-Langer interviews ILSR energy staff John Farrell and Karlee Weinmann about the opportunities that come...

200 Episodes, 10 Lessons, and Your Questions — Episode 200 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

200 Episodes, 10 Lessons, and Your Questions — Episode 200 of Local Energy Rules

For this milestone 200th episode, John Farrell reflects on 10 years of making the Local Energy Rules podcast, shares what he has learned from over...

Report: Mighty Microgrids

Report

Report: Mighty Microgrids

Communities all over the country are finding ways to break the macro barriers to microgrids. As we flip from a top-down to bottom-up grid management...

The Cost of Utility-Controlled Vehicle Charging — Episode 215 of Local Energy Rules

Podcasts and Videos

The Cost of Utility-Controlled Vehicle Charging — Episode 215 of Local Energy Rules

Doug Kantor discusses why the electric vehicle charging market must be competitive, rather than controlled by utilities, and why convenience stores are particularly suited to...