Local Energy Rules

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, 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. The three discuss a new Rural Electric Co-op Toolkit and how it will help members democratize their co-ops. |

Show page available: https://ilsr.org/rural-electric-coop-toolkit-ler-episode-89/ |

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!

Colorado, a long-time hub of hiking and skiing, has become the unexpected hub of clean energy commitments. In a swing state often divided over political issues, what makes renewable energy so popular?

For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Lissa Ray and Monique DiGiorgio about Durango, Colo.’s recent commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2050. Ray, a climate activist, organized the residents of Durango as the point person for the Sierra Club. DiGiorgio, Managing Director of Local First in La Plata County, rallied local businesses for the cause. Farrell asks the two for lessons learned through their work on Durango’s Ready for 100 campaign, the benefits of making the commitment in rural Colorado, and advice for other organizers looking to do the same.

Listen to the full episode to learn what cities served by rural electric cooperatives can do to strengthen democracy in their community, and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript and summary of the conversation.

https://ilsr.org/articles/durango-colorado-voices-of-100-podcast/

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 asks Lissa Ray (climate activist) and Monique DiGiorgio (Managing Director of Local First) about Durango, Colo.’s recent commitment to 100% clean, renewable electricity. |

Show page available: | https://ilsr.org/durango-colorado-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!

The city of Minneapolis, and utilities Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, established the first-of-its-kind clean energy partnership on October 17th, 2014. Five years have passed, so it’s time to evaluate: does this anniversary deserve a celebration?

In this bonus episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon. Farrell and Gordon, with help from Alice Madden of Community Power, talk about what the clean energy partnership has —and has not— accomplished since 2014.

Listen to the full interview, read the transcript, and explore other resources below — including ILSR’s coverage of the partnership over the years.

https://ilsr.org/articles/minneapolis-cep-fifth-anniversary-ler-bonus/

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon. Farrell and Gordon, with help from Alice Madden of Community Power, talk about the Minneapolis clean energy partnership on its fifth anniversary. |

Show page available: https://ilsr.org/minneapolis-cep-fifth-anniversary-ler-bonus |

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!

In a revolutionary city ordinance, Berkeley, Calif. set a higher standard for health and safety in thousands of homes. By banning natural gas hook-ups to new buildings effective January 1, Berkeley will lower the cost of new buildings, improve the lives of residents, and clean up the climate for all.

In this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Kate Harrison, City Council member for Berkeley, Calif., and Sean Armstrong, Zero Net Energy Designer and Managing Principal at Redwood Energy. The three discuss how Berkeley was able to pass this ordinance, and the benefits it will bring, for a recent episode of ILSR’s Building Local Power podcast— republished here for Local Energy Rules.

Listen to the full interview, read the transcript, and explore other resources below.

https://ilsr.org/articles/berkeley-gas-ban-ler-episode-87/

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell speaks with Kate Harrison, City Council member for Berkeley, Calif., and Sean Armstrong, Zero Net Energy Designer and Managing Principal at Redwood Energy. The three discuss how Berkeley was able to pass an ordinance banning gas hook-ups in new multi-family homes and the benefits this ordinance will bring. |

Show page available: https://ilsr.org/berkeley-gas-ban-ler-episode-87 |

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!

Residents of South Carolina are already facing the effects of climate change, but at least one of their leaders is determined to take action to mitigate future catastrophic disasters.

For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Mayor Stephen Benjamin of Columbia, SC. A third term mayor and co-chair of the Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy, Benjamin led Columbia to a 100% renewable energy commitment. The two discuss the importance of local initiative, taking action on climate in the South, and how to ensure that a clean energy transition benefits everyone.

Listen to the full episode to hear about local action in Columbia, and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript and written summary of the conversation.

https://ilsr.org/articles/columbia-south-carolina-voices-of-100-podcast/

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 Stephen Benjamin, third term mayor of Columbia, SC. The two discuss the importance of local initiative, taking action on climate in the South, and how to ensure that a clean energy transition benefits everyone. |

Show page available: https://ilsr.org/columbia-sc-voices-of-100-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!

In Southern Florida, utilities relax after escaping the brunt of Hurricane Dorian’s destruction. Other areas, like Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands, weren’t so lucky. The growing threat of large storms poses a question for coastal communities: what kind of energy system will be most resilient? Although it wasn’t tested by this most recent storm, our podcast guest has been pushing for distributed energy systems to build resiliency for his Florida community.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, we reach into the archive to a conversation between host John Farrell and South Miami Mayor Philip Stoddard. In the episode, published April of 2018, the two discuss combatting monopoly utility power through local efforts to implement solar in South Miami. Since the episode, many of Mayor Stoddard’s endeavors have produced results. In March, Stoddard showed that energy independence was possible by taking his home off the grid and running on his own solar and battery storage for seven days. Then, in May, the City Commission made a commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2040.

Listen to the episode to hear about Stoddard and South Miami’s efforts that led to these achievements, and explore highlights and resources, below — including a transcript of the conversation and more updates since the interview took place.

https://ilsr.org/articles/philip-stoddard-episode-85-local-energy-rules-podcast/