Local Energy Rules

By Local Energy RulesSociety & Culture

Local Energy Rules episodes

January 01, 2020 Cooperative Ownership Puts Community Solar in the Community
In this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Subin DeVar of the Sustainable Economies Law Center about the nation’s first residential rooftop community solar project. In addition to directing SELC’s community renewable energy program, DeVar is on the board of the People Power Solar Cooperative, which developed the novel project. |
Show page available: https://ilsr.org/people-power-solar-coop-ler-episode-94 |
Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-rules-podcast-homepage |
Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the conversation online using the #LocalEnergyRules hashtag!
25 min
December 18, 2019 Voices of 100%: Climate Justice Plan Upends Typical City Process, Putting Communities First — Episode 93 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
To reach its climate and energy goals, one Rhode Island city has opted for a climate justice plan in lieu of the typical climate action plan.
For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Providence Director of Sustainability Leah Bamberger. Although Providence is not committed to 100 percent clean, renewable energy, it has made a commitment just as ambitious: centering equity on its journey to carbon neutrality and 30% local energy generation. The two discuss the city’s climate justice plan, the necessity of centering frontline communities in decision making, and how energy democracy (see ILSR’s definition) is key to both setting and reaching climate goals.
Listen to the full episode to learn about Providence’s new approach to climate goal setting, and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.
https://ilsr.org/articles/providence-rhodeisland-voices-of-100-podcast/
31 min
December 18, 2019 Voices of 100%: Climate Justice Plan Upends Typical City Process, Putting Communities First
More than 100 U.S. cities have now set ambitious commitments to transition to renewable energy, but how are they making these goals a reality? In this episode of our Voices of 100% series from Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with Providence Director of Sustainability Leah Bamberger. The two talk about how energy democracy runs through the city’s new climate justice plan, which centers frontline communities in Providence. |
Show page available: https://ilsr.org/providence-rhodeisland-voices-of-100-podcast |
Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-rules-podcast-homepage |
Find updates on the Voices of 100% series and related resources, also on our site: https://ilsr.org/voices-of-100-local-energy-rules-podcast |
Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the conversation online using the #LocalEnergyRules and #Voicesof100 hashtags!
31 min
December 04, 2019 Island Utility Aims for Two-Thirds Renewable Energy by 2020 — Episode 92 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
A cooperative utility in Hawaii has reduced its electricity prices, multiplied its renewable energy capacity, and increased its grid resiliency — all without relying on neighboring utilities, because there are none.
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with David Bissell, CEO of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. CEO of the co-op since 2011, Bissell has seen renewable electricity generation grow from 10 to more than 50 percent of the co-op’s electricity use. With more projects in the works, Bissell believes the cooperative utility will soon use 80 percent renewable electricity. The two talk about this achievement, the challenges of operating a utility on an island, and how Kauai stands as a model for others.
Listen to the full episode and explore more resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.
https://ilsr.org/articles/kauai-two-thirds-renewable-2020-ler-episode-92/
31 min
December 04, 2019 Island Utility Aims for Two-Thirds Renewable Energy by 2020
In this episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with David Bissell, CEO of Kauai Island Utility Cooperative. The two talk about the utility’s renewable energy achievement, the challenges of operating a utility on an island, and how Kauai provides a “postcard from the future” for other U.S. utilities. |
Show page available: https://ilsr.org/kauai-two-thirds-renewable-2020-ler-episode-92 |
Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-rules-podcast-homepage |
Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the conversation online using the #LocalEnergyRules hashtag!
31 min
November 28, 2019 Turkey Talk: Energy Policy and Thanksgiving — Episode 91 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
What do a failed biomass plant in Minnesota and a ban on gas hookups for new properties in California have in common? Thanksgiving dinner!
On this bonus Thanksgiving Day episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with David Morris, ILSR Co-founder and Distinguished Fellow, and Maria McCoy, ILSR Energy Democracy Research Associate. The two interviews cover stories about local energy generation and usage — with a Thanksgiving theme — for ILSR’s Building Local Power podcast, republished here for Local Energy Rules.
Listen to the full episode and explore more resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.
https://ilsr.org/articles/turkey-talk-thanksgiving-ler91/
36 min
November 28, 2019 Turkey Talk: Energy Policy and Thanksgiving
In this special episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with ILSR Co-founder David Morris and ILSR Research Associate Maria McCoy. The two tell local energy stories sharing a Thanksgiving theme: the failure of a turkey litter-fueled power plant in Minnesota and the ban of gas hookups in Berkeley, Calif. |
Show page available: | https://ilsr.org/turkey-talk-thanksgiving-ler91
Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-rules-podcast-homepage |
Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the conversation online using the #LocalEnergyRules hashtag!
36 min
November 20, 2019 Voices of 100%: When 100% Renewable Electricity Isn’t Enough, Burlington Targets Net Zero — Episode 90 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
More than 100 cities have committed to 100% renewable electricity transitions, with most hoping to get there by 2030 or 2050. Burlington, Vt., already achieved this goal — five years ago.
For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with two leaders in Burlington’s completed electricity transition: Mayor Miro Weinberger and Darren Springer, general manager of Burlington Electric. The three talk about why Burlington was able to reach its goal so quickly, how other cities can reach theirs too, and Burlington’s new plan to become a Net Zero Energy city.
Listen to the full episode and explore more resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.
https://ilsr.org/articles/burlington-vermont-voices-of-100-podcast/
36 min
November 20, 2019 Voices of 100%: When 100% Renewable Electricity Isn't Enough, Burlington Targets Net Zero
More than 100 U.S. cities have now set ambitious commitments to transition to renewable energy, but how are they making these goals a reality? In this episode of our Voices of 100% series from Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with two leaders in Burlington’s completed 100% renewable electricity transition: Mayor Miro Weinberger and Darren Springer, general manager of Burlington Electric. The three talk about why Burlington was able to reach its goal so quickly, how other cities can reach theirs too, and Burlington’s new plan to become a Net Zero Energy city. |
Show page available: | https://ilsr.org/burlington-vermont-voices-of-100-podcast
Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-rules-podcast-homepage |
Find updates on the Voices of 100% series and related resources, also on our site: https://ilsr.org/voices-of-100-local-energy-rules-podcast |
Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the conversation online using the #LocalEnergyRules and #Voicesof100 hashtags!
36 min
November 06, 2019 A New Deal for Electric Co-ops: How Members Can Exercise Ownership to Strengthen Democracy — Episode 89 of Local Energy Rules Podcast
While most Americans get their electricity from a private company, about 1 in 8 Americans actually own their utility as a member-owner of a rural electric cooperative.
For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Liz Veazey, Network Director of We Own It, and Chris Woolery, Residential Energy Coordinator at the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development. Veazey and Woolery, along with a team organized by the New Economy Coalition, have just released the Rural Electric Cooperative Toolkit. This toolkit opens with this statement: “You have a voice in your electric cooperative. Here’s how to use it.” In the interview, Veazey and Woolery talk about the wealth of knowledge found in the toolkit and why members need these organizing strategies to make cooperative electric companies more responsive to their communities’ interests.
Listen to the full episode and explore more resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.
https://ilsr.org/articles/rural-electric-coop-toolkit-ler-episode-89/
36 min

About Local Energy Rules

From the publisher's feed

This bi-weekly podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance shares powerful stories of local renewable energy, from mayors discussing their city’s commitment to 100% renewable energy to tales of…