Energy Self-Reliant States

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Energy Self-Reliant States

Defending clean, local energy with data.

02/24/2022

Is your state a leader in policies that support local clean energy action? Find out in ILSR’s 2022 Community Power Scorecard!

https://ilsr.org/2022-community-power-scorecard/

01/10/2022

"Our main goal is let’s get access for everyone. And once that access is enshrined in law, we can fund low income projects and actually extend those benefits to the folks who have been left out of the conversation."

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Mason Rolph discuss Olympia Community Solar, the organization’s advocacy work, and why Washington needs a proper community solar program.

01/03/2022

Electric utility monopolies, once a necessary evil, are time and again failing to meet the challenges of the current moment.

Listen to the latest episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast:

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Chris Villarreal discuss the electricity market and how it insulates utility companies from competition.

10/25/2021

On Local Energy Rules, guest Shannon Mortenson describes how drones use a thermal camera to document how much energy is leaking from buildings. This new technology is helping residents to conserve energy and save money.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Shannon Mortenson discuss Warren’s first-of-its-kind thermal imaging project, lessons learned from the pilot, and how cities can help residents conserve energy.

10/21/2021

Massachusetts community solar incentives look great on paper but solar advocates are frustrated due to programs' limited growth. We took a close look at the state's community solar program here:

Massachusetts enabled virtual net metering in 2008’s Green Communities Act and the state has incentivized community solar development through several programs. This post summarizes the policy and compiles additional Massachusetts community solar resources.

10/16/2021

“Just because it’s public doesn’t mean it’s going to be run well. Just because it’s private doesn’t mean it’s going to be run poorly. It really all is in the rules.”

Don't miss the latest episode of Building Local Power:

In this episode of Building Local Power, ILSR Co-Director John Farrell is joined by Chris Villarreal, President of Plugged In Strategies and an Associate Fellow with the R Street Institute. Their discussion focuses on monopoly power in the energy sector, …

10/08/2021

As a result of problematic interconnection standards, MN's solar developers are facing lengthy interconnection delays. In comments to the Minnesota PUC, we advocated for customers' rights to build rooftop solar and connect to the distribution grid.

In these reply comments to the Minnesota PUC, ILSR points out that as long as the utility’s interest is to profit off of new generation assets, it cannot successfully manage grid access for third parties.

10/07/2021

This is the moment for us to sprint toward a clean energy future that benefits every American. Today we joined Local Solar for All and other environmental justice and clean energy advocates for the release of a report that joins a growing body of research calling for the growth rate of local, distributed solar power to accelerate by 2-4 times over the next decade to reach the nation’s climate and energy goals at the lowest cost.

By making local solar + storage a priority in President Biden’s plan for 80% clean energy by 2030, we can save more than a hundred billion dollars and create more than a million jobs, while building the foundation for a more equitable, consumer-focused energy system powered entirely by clean electricity.

https://www.localsolarforall.org/news/80x30-modeling-local-solar-now

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. must deploy a minimum of 103 gigawatts (GW) of distributed, local solar power and 137 GW of distributed energy storage by 2030 to achieve President Biden’s climate and equity goals at the lowest cost. This is one of the core findings of a new report issued today by Lo...

07/20/2021

For this Voices of 100% episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guests Kate Beaton and Ned Noel examine Eau Claire’s clean energy goal, the citizen participation that has supported its work, and the strategies the City is using to advance renewable energy.

07/19/2021

Minnesota’s community solar program held steady at 797 megawatts of operational capacity in June 2021.

https://ilsr.org/minnesotas-community-solar-program/

07/14/2021

Do you have anxiety? A bold new plan for by 2026 could cut carbon emissions the same as taking 42 million cars off the road. Take a look, then tell your Congress Members to act! www.bit.ly/30MSH

Imagine what your neighborhood (yes, YOURS!) would look like if 1 in 4 households were solar-powered. It could happen within 5 years! Use the map below to see what 30 Million Solar Homes would mean for your community. Download our new report showing how 30 Million Solar Homes will create 1.77 milli...

07/12/2021

We took an in-depth look at Oregon's community solar program in this recent article:

Passed in 2016, Section 22 of SB 1547 establishes a program for community solar projects. The Oregon Solar Dashboard tracks developments by year. This post summarizes the policy and compiles additional Oregon community solar resources.

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About the Energy Democracy initiative from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance

The Energy Democracy initiative is a project of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

There’s no question that the energy system is undergoing change. One need look no further than the 1 million solar rooftops in the U.S. or — for the wonky — the source of new power capacity in the U.S. over the past 15 years. In 2003, just 20% of new electric capacity came from renewable power plants. In the last eight years, it’s been at or over 60% almost every year. In the first three quarters of 2016, 16% of our new power capacity came from distributed solar alone (such as home rooftop solar arrays).

But few people realize that the change from fossil fuels to renewable sources is just a harbinger for a phase of massive disruption in energy markets. The disruption will remake how the energy system serves its users and offer unprecedented choices for customers. It may go further than choice. As the energy system shifts away from the outdated utility monopoly model, the four Ds of energy democracy — distributed power, decentralization, democracy from ownership, and disruptive technology — have the potential to put those users in charge and allow them to reap the economic benefits.