Local Energy Rules

In the face of gridlock and inaction at state and federal levels, what tools do cities have to take the lead on local, renewable energy?

In this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, John Farrell, director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance’s Energy Democracy Initiative, is joined by Minneapolis City Councilmember Jeremy Schroeder, who has been a vocal leader in city hall on local energy and climate solutions.

The two spoke for a recent episode of the Institute’s Building Local Power podcast, which we have recut here, to highlight the city’s unique partnership with its incumbent utility and what other tools the city is using to address climate change locally.

https://ilsr.org/articles/jeremy-schroeder-episode-70-local-energy-rules-podcast/

In this episode of Local Energy Rules, Energy Democracy Initiative director John Farrell speaks with Minneapolis City Councilmember Jeremy Schroeder about the city’s unique partnership with its incumbent utility companies and other tools the city can u...

What does it take to build a community solar project (with battery storage) in a small town in northern Minnesota when the monopoly wholesale energy company tells your small city-owned utility to “lawyer up”?

Bill Schnell is the lead volunteer with the Itasca Clean Energy Team, a small group of active citizens in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, working to secure a community solar project for the town. He spoke with John Farrell, ILSR’s director of energy democracy, in January 2019, about building community support for the project and overcoming the objections of Minnesota Power, the electricity supplier to the small town’s city-owned utility.

https://ilsr.org/articles/small-minn-community-david-v-goliath-community-solar-episode-69-local-energy-rules-podcast/

The city of Madison, capital of Wisconsin and sustainability leader in the Midwest, is one of more than 100 cities across the country committing to shift to 100 percent renewable power. But with a hometown utility––investor-owned electric company Madison Gas & Electric––that produces three-quarters of its electricity from coal, it’s path is steeper than most.

Local leader Raj Shukla, chair of the city’s Sustainable Madison Committee and candidate in the city’s spring mayoral election, spoke with John Farrell in August 2018, to discuss the city’s push to carbon-free power. In this episode of Voices of 100%, Shukla and Farrell discuss how the relationship between the city and its utility evolved and specific strategies that will help the city reach its ambitious goal.

https://ilsr.org/articles/madison-wis-voices-of-100-podcast/

Today, over 100 U.S. cities have made formal commitments to 100 percent renewable energy. In our seventh episode of the Voices of 100% series from Local Energy Rules, we highlight how Madison, Wis., is pushing their coal-heavy,

Co-director of ILSR and Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell and research associate Marie Donahue sat down before the winter break to reflect on what they are describing as the “Year of 100” — a landmark year for 100 percent renewable energy commitments in 2018.

In this special year-end episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, Farrell and Donahue recap the many ambitious renewable energy commitments made by states, utilities, and cities, this year. The two discuss what we can learn from these resolutions and how to ensure benefits from the clean energy transition remain both local and equitable.

Tune in for highlights from 2018 and a lively discussion about what is on horizon for local, renewable energy in 2019. Find a transcript and summary of the conversation below.

https://ilsr.org/articles/year-of-100-local-renewable-energy-2018-episode-67-local-energy-rules-podcast/

In 2018, numerous states, utilities, and cities made big resolutions to shift to 100 percent clean energy. In a special New Year’s episode of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell and Marie Donahue from ILSR’s Energy Democracy team discuss their take on thi...

Rural communities formed rural electric cooperatives as a way to get energy where no one else would provide it. In the 21st century, some cooperatives have found an additional economic benefit in pursuing local renewable energy. In the cases of Farmers Electric Cooperative in Iowa and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative in New Mexico, it’s a desire that’s risen from the member-owners up to the leadership.

In this episode of Local Energy Rules (recorded in mid-2018), John Farrell and a few listeners ask questions of the manager and CEO of each cooperative: Warren McKenna of Farmers Electric Cooperative and Luis Reyes of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. These cooperatives have jumped far ahead of their peers in pursuing clean, local energy in a win-win for the cooperative and its members.

https://ilsr.org/articles/rural-electric-co-ops-overcome-barriers-to-clean-local-energy-episode-66-of-local-energy-rules-podcast/

Nearly 100 U.S. cities have formally adopted ambitious commitments to power their communities with 100 percent renewable energy by deadlines set in the 2030s or beyond.

Among those communities, many large cities have made high-profile commitments and garnered significant media attention. Fewer small communities are well-known for setting these goals. Abita Springs, however, has claimed the title of the first community in Louisiana and among a select number of towns its size nationwide committed to a 100% renewable energy future. Located in St. Tammany Parish, the community is home to only a few thousand people.

Following successful organizing efforts by the volunteer-led Abita Committee for Energy Sustainability (ACES) in collaboration with and supported by the Sierra Club’s Ready for 100 campaign team, Abita Springs’ mayor and town council unanimously adopted a resolution in 2017 to provide the city with electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

In our sixth Voices of 100% episode as part of the Local Energy Rules podcast, LeAnn Magee, who serves as chair of ACES, speaks with co-director of ILSR and Energy Democracy initiative director John Farrell about Abita Springs’ motivations for and approach to reaching its 100% renewable energy goal, starting with municipal buildings and community solar.

https://ilsr.org/articles/abita-springs-la-voices-of-100-podcast/

Nearly 100 U.S. cities of different sizes have made formal commitments to 100 percent renewable energy. In our sixth episode of Voices of 100%, a multi-part series of Local Energy Rules, we feature the small town of Abita Springs,