“We can avoid that $100 million investment in transmission lines, distribution lines, in capital infrastructure…” How can a utility like Long Island Power Authority avoid all that new capital expenditure? Find out in this interview with Vice President of Environmental Affairs Michael Deering, recorded via Skype on November 25, 2013. Customer-Powered Utility The first question we … Read More
It may be one of the oldest cooperative utilities in the country, but in the next six months, Farmers Electric Cooperative (FEC) of southeastern Iowa will be leading the nation in this 21st century energy source. Upon completion of a new solar array, the 640-member cooperative will have over 1,500 Watts of solar per customer on their system, nearly double the #2 utility. It’s also the most reliable utility in Iowa. How can this small, member-owned utility in Kalona be “America’s Most Progressive Utility”?… Read More
It is the fifth episode of the Whatcha Workin’ On? podcast. Christopher Mitchell, Director of the Telecommunications as Commons initiative speaks to Lisa Gonzalez. Chris describes the roots of the initiative, the many projects we are working on now, and his ideas for what we will pursue moving forward. For more specific info on the initiative … Read More
“A lot of the utilities don’t totally understand this new paradigm that’s coming.” David Blittersdorf of AllEarth Solar has been working to advance renewable energy in Vermont for years, and was instrumental in getting the state’s standard offer program (a feed-in tariff) passed in 2009. He’s adamant that the state should accelerate its standard offer in … Read More
Joy Hughes was living in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, a place with a “tremendous amount of solar potential,” so good that the valley’s residents were being overwhelmed by proposals for large scale solar power plants. One had a “field of things like radar dishes” and another included a “600 foot tower.” The influx of outside companies seeking solar profit led Joy to ask, “Why not just set up solar arrays that can provide power for people in the local community and offset their electric bills?”… Read More
Welcome to the fourth episode of the Whatcha Workin’ On? podcast. Lisa Gonzalez interviews our newest staff member, Nicola Chin, Director of Strategy and Development. Nicola shares her history of grassroots and nonprofit work and explains what she hopes to see in her days to come at ILSR. Welcome, Nicola! Whatcha Workin’ On? Episode 4 Click … Read More
This week John Farrell and Wade Underwood talk with Paul Spencer, President and founder of the Clean Energy Collective (CEC) in Carbondale, CO. The CEC is pioneering the process of delivering clean power-generation through medium-scale (mostly solar) facilities that are collectively owned by participating utility customers. In many ways, their community energy model is the “holy grail” because it has proven replicable in several places around the United States.… Read More
In this episode of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell and Wade Underwood talk with Susan Osborne, the former Mayor of Boulder, CO, about that city’s effort to take control of its energy future. … Read More
Welcome to our third episode of the Whatcha Workin’ On? podcast. Lisa Gonzalez interviews Neil Seldman, Ph.D., President of ILSR and the heart and soul of our Waste to Wealth Initiative. Neil tells us about the program and describes the many concurrent projects he is handling. Dr. Seldman also outlines some upcoming work for the Waste … Read More
