Originally published at ILSR.org After moving to Colorado, Joe Smyth found he was barred from participating in his generation and transmission cooperative — despite a Colorado law promoting co-op transparency. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Joe Smyth, researcher at the Energy and … [continued]
Fast-improving technology and growing consumer interest continue to put momentum behind the clean energy transition. Unlike utilities and other industry players that have largely ignored growth opportunities as market dynamics shift, a coalition of independent solar companies is harnessing its combined power to command more influence in the marketplace.
In this episode, Christopher Mitchell, the director of ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks initiative, interviews Hannah Trostle and Karlee Weinmann, Research Associates for the Community Broadband Networks and Energy Democracy initiatives, respectively.
A simmering fight to keep renewables out of Florida’s energy mix is approaching a boiling point in November, underscoring the need for smarter energy policies and easier solar access offered by Florida Solar United Neighborhoods.
Originally published at ilsr.org. Electric cooperatives arose from New Deal legislation that provided government-backed low-interest loans to bring electricity to rural areas that for-profit companies wouldn’t serve in the 1930s. They were engines of the rural economy. But today they face unique challenges, including a disproportionate reliance on coal-fired power, often … [continued]
Originally published at ilsr.org. It’s not sexy. But it can make you warmer. It can even make you cooler. On-bill financing provides loans for energy efficiency improvements through the local utility company, paid back with energy savings on monthly electric (or gas) bills. And it’s a powerful tool for simplifying the … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. Former CEO Dwight Brown (pictured right) did a number on the Cobb Electric Membership Corporation (EMC). Cobb EMC serves around 175,000 member-owners just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and is one of 900 member-owned electric cooperatives in the United States. From the late 1990s on, the co-op’s members lost … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. This article was written by Nick Stumo-Langer, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Energy Democracy initiative’s Communications & Research Associate. He regularly publishes articles and designs graphics based on local, renewable energy. Electric cooperatives — member-owned organizations that sell electricity to those within their service area — are perhaps the nation’s largest group … [continued]
How a small village in Gujarat can address India’s dual problem of power subsidies and ground-water depletion. By Akhilesh Magal The weakest link in India’s power sector is the power utility. India’s power utilities have accumulated total losses of over INR 3.8 trillion ($55 billion) and an accumulated debt of INR … [continued]
Originally published on ilsr.org. Introduction Decades after cities lit the first electric lamps in the 1880s, most of the rural places of America were still dark. Urban utilities didn’t care for the expense of wiring farms, and it wasn’t until communities organized that electricity expanded to rural areas. Farmers in southwest … [continued]
