Local Energy Rules

How can a community take control of its energy future from a 100-year monopoly electric utility?  Citizens of Boulder, CO, are testing answers to that question, trying to discover how a single city can do more for its economy and the environment with more power over its energy system. At the core of their efforts is a grassroots campaign to form a city-owned utility, an effort that faced an enormous test at the ballot box in November 2013.

We spoke with New Era Colorado executive director Stephen Fenberg about the grassroots campaign to fight Xcel Energy and build a better energy future via Skype on Dec. 6, 2013.

https://ilsr.org/articles/communities-leverage-energy-future-episode-17-local-energy-rules/

For years, the only effective way to go solar was to have tens of thousands of dollars and a sunny roof.  Investing in solar was nearly impossible.  But a couple years ago, a new notion called crowdfunding got its start, and California-Based Mosaic was on the forefront.  Its crowdfunding program allows people to pool their resources, large or small, to build community-based solar installations.  It’s not about charity, either.  Mosaic’s pioneering crowdfunding effort is letting people across the country earn a modest return on their solar investment and putting clean local power on rooftops everywhere.

We spoke with Mosaic president Billy Parish via Skype in mid-February about the potential for crowdfunding to give most Americans a chance to invest in renewable energy.

https://ilsr.org/articles/millions-people-investing-solar-episode-16-local-energy-rules/

Laboring to keep more of its energy dollars at home, community members in Boulder, CO, decided that they needed some numbers behind their vision of a cleaner energy utility.  Listen in to the podcast to hear Ken Regelson describe how the remarkable results of Boulder’s citizen-driven energy model have given them power to stand up to the incumbent electric monopoly with a vision for a 21st century clean energy system. We interviewed Ken via Skype (apologies for the random construction noise) on Dec. 5, 2013.

https://ilsr.org/articles/envisioning-innovative-local-electric-utility-episode-14-local-energy-rules/

“It’s the most inspirational work that I’m doing…this is an inspirational and aspirational effort…at the heart of it is love of place and energy democracy.”

Citizens of Santa Fe, NM, are exploring the economic and environmental benefits of more local and locally-controlled energy production.  Is their city ready to take the lead?

Find out in this interview with Executive Director Mariel Nanasi of New Energy Economy, recorded via Skype on November 22, 2013.

https://ilsr.org/articles/david-goliath-fight-tap-world-class-solar-episode-14-local-energy-rules/

“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.

https://ilsr.org/articles/solar-saves-grid-costs-episode-13-local-energy-rules/

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”?

Find out in this interview with FEC Manager Warren McKenna, recorded via Skype, on November 18, 2013.

https://ilsr.org/articles/1-solar-utility-in-iowa-episode-12-local-energy-rules/

Earlier this week, the Minneapolis city council got an early look at an important “pathways study,” outlining the legal and policy strategies the city could follow toward a cleaner, more affordable, reliable, and local energy future.  It’s one of the outcomes from a robust grassroots campaign to move the city toward a better energy future this summer, and it touched a nerve with the city’s incumbent, monopoly electric utility.  In July, Xcel Energy dispatched a glossy letter to all its Minneapolis customers, warning them of the dire consequences should the city consider the boldest option – forming a city-owned utility.  ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell explains the letter and its import in this podcast, interviewed by his colleague, Lisa Gonzalez.

https://ilsr.org/articles/once-in-a-generation-achieve-citys-energy-goals-episode-11-local-energy-rules/

“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 order to meet its ambitious 2050 goal of getting 90% of its energy from renewable sources.  But some of the state’s utilities have balked and others don’t seem to grasp the pace that’s needed to reach the state’s targets.

https://ilsr.org/articles/vermonts-standard-offer-renewable-energy-program-episode-10-local-energy-rules-podcast/

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?”

The Solar Gardens Institute was born, with a vision of helping community members pool their resources, produce their own energy, and keep their energy dollars local.

https://ilsr.org/articles/community-solar-gold-standard-episode-9-local-energy-rules-podcast/

“It’s the only time I’ve done a rate increase when nobody was opposed,” says Ed Regan of the Gainesville utility’s feed-in tariff for solar power.  The program, launched in 2009, has resulted in nearly 15 megawatts of new, local solar energy generation on or near buildings in the northeast Florida town, enough to make it one of the leading communities in per capita solar worldwide.  The program is open to participation by anyone in Gainesville, with the utility buying all solar energy in the program on a fixed price, 20-year contract.

It all started about ten years ago, when Pegeen Hanrahan was elected mayor of Gainesville and Ed Regan was serving as the assistant general manager for strategic planning.  Intern Wade Underwood and I spoke with them earlier this year.

https://ilsr.org/articles/florida-city-world-leader-solar-capita-episode-8-local-energy-rules/