Local Energy Rules

What gives the suburbs of Philadelphia an edge over the central city in making commitments to 100% renewable energy?

For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Meenal Raval, a leader in the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Thanks to organizing from this campaign, 16 suburbs surrounding Philadelphia have made formal, community-wide commitments to transition to 100% renewable energy. Despite its revolutionary roots, however, the core city has not yet set a citywide commitment.

This conversation digs into what actions and policies are needed to implement local clean energy solutions that will help Philadelphia and communities in the larger metropolitan region gain independence from dirty energy and an incumbent, centralized utility model.

https://ilsr.org/articles/philadelphia-pa-voices-of-100-podcast/

Show page available: http://www.ilsr.org/philadelphia-pa-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, we dig into what has given 16 suburbs of Philadelphia an edge over the central city in making commitments to 100% renewable energy, and what strategies both suburbs and the city can take to make progress. |

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!

How does a small city in southeastern Iowa plan to achieve energy independence and join the more than 100 cities across the country that are working toward ambitious goals to generate their electricity from renewable resources?

For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell spoke with Chris Ball, Community Development Director for the town of Bloomfield, Iowa. Bloomfield is a small town in southeastern Iowa with a population of about 2,600 people, aging homes, and its own municipal electric and gas utilities. At the urging of the town’s residents, Bloomfield is now pursuing ways to expand energy independence and reduce their reliance on imported energy by investing in solar, energy efficiency, and more.

Listen to the full episode to learn how the town is taking action to support local, clean energy, and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript and written summary of the conversation.

https://ilsr.org/articles/bloomfield-iowa-voices-of-100-podcast/

Show page available: http://www.ilsr.org/bloomfield-iowa-voices-of-100-podcast |

More than 100 U.S. cities have now set ambitious commitments to transition to renewable energy, but how are they working to make these goals a reality? In this episode of our Voices of 100% series from Local Energy Rules, we feature the small town of Bloomfield, Iowa, its goal of reaching energy independence, and what investments it is making to reach that goal. |

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!

Can an island economy overcome hurricane devastation to seize the opportunity for energy democracy?

Ingrid Vila is an engineer and director of Cambio, a Puerto Rico based nonprofit. In a coalition called Queremos Sol – we want sun – Ingrid works with many other organizations on the island and off to prioritize community-owned, local renewable energy. Nearly two years after Hurricane Maria destroyed the island’s electrical grid, an influx of federal recovery dollars may provide the catalyst to rebuild the island’s economy by reimagining its grid, starting with solar on rooftops and local energy storage.

In this May 2019 interview, ILSR’s Director of Energy Democracy, John Farrell, and Ingrid discussed the enormous opportunity, and the pitfalls the island must avoid to seize its chance for energy democracy. Listen to this conversation and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript.

https://ilsr.org/articles/using-disaster-to-build-a-new-democratic-energy-paradigm-episode-78-of-local-energy-rules-podcast/

Show page available: http://www.ilsr.org/using-disaster-to-build-a-new-democratic-energy-paradigm-episode-78-of-local-energy-rules-podcast |

In this May 2019 interview, ILSR’s Director of Energy Democracy John Farrell, and Ingrid Vila - an engineer and director of Cambio, a Puerto Rico based nonprofit - discussed the enormous opportunity, and the pitfalls the island must avoid, to seize the island's chance for energy democracy. |

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!

How can an island rebuild its electric grid in a way that boosts the local economy?

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria caused a devastating and historic blackout in Puerto Rico. The months of efforts to reconnect customers were hampered by the public utility’s bankruptcy, and control of the island’s financials by a federal oversight board. Marcel Castro Sitiriche, Professor of electrical engineering and Co-director of Cohemis at the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez, joined me in April 2019, to discuss the limits of the island’s resilience, and what it can do to rebuild better for everyone.

https://ilsr.org/articles/rebuilding-puerto-rico-electricity-episode-77-local-energy-rules-podcast/

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, Energy Democracy Initiative director John Farrell speaks with Marcel Castro Sitiriche about the challenges Puerto Rico faces in building a local, clean, and resilient energy system in the aftermath of Hurricane Ma...

How can a small town in Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior match the ambition of large cities like Minneapolis or San Diego in the quest for 100% renewable energy?

For this episode of our Voices of 100% series of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell spoke with Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux, mayor of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Grand Marais is a small community of roughly 1300 people, whose climate commitments were driven by activism among the town’s youth. With a city-owned utility, Grand Marais is now charting a course to reduce their reliance on imported energy while reducing their carbon footprint.

Listen to the full episode to learn how the town is taking action to support local, clean energy, and explore more highlights and resources, below — including a transcript of the conversation.

https://ilsr.org/articles/grand-marais-minn-voices-of-100-podcast/

More than 100 U.S. cities have now set goals to transition to 100 percent renewable energy, but how are they working to make these goals a reality? In a new episode of our Voices of 100% series from Local Energy Rules,