Local Energy Rules

How Colorado Electric Customers Are Leading a Co-op's Clean Energy Journey

June 22, 2022 21:11 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Bryan Hannegan discuss how cultural change, led by the customers, pushed Holy Cross Energy to offer innovative programs in its transition to 100 percent renewable energy.… Read More

From the Archive: Ballot Initiative Shapes Iowa Town’s Fight for Local Power

May 26, 2022 14:48 - 21 minutes - 15 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the archive, guests Andrew Johnson and Joel Zook join host John Farrell to discuss how a municipal electric utility could better serve Decorah residents.… Read More

A People’s Playbook on Advancing Energy Justice, Despite Utility Misdirection

May 11, 2022 17:03 - 30 minutes - 28 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Yesenia Rivera discuss the People’s Utility Justice Playbook and how to combat utility tactics that undermine energy democracy.… Read More

Monopolistic Utility Companies Suppress the Use of Customer Data

April 27, 2022 15:20 - 46 minutes - 42.2 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Michael Murray discuss how utilities resist data portability, even though customers have a right to their data.… Read More

The Movement to Take Back Control From Monopoly Electric Utilities

April 13, 2022 14:42 - 1 hour - 50.9 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, we share a recording of ILSR’s Democratizing Power event: a conversation with advocates about how communities have challenged monopoly power.… Read More

Despite Promising Policies, Advocates Are Still Fighting for Community Power

March 30, 2022 17:43 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guests Crystal Huang and Al Weinrub discuss the gap between policy and implementation and how ILSR’s Community Power Scorecard could better represent and mobilize local organizers.… Read More

The Legal Case for a Clean and Competitive Energy Sector

March 16, 2022 14:23 - 46 minutes - 42.3 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Jean Su discuss a landmark court ruling's implications for antitrust enforcement and how President Biden could defend the U.S. from climate and economic harms.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Idaho Coalition Crafts a Data-Driven Clean Power Pledge

March 02, 2022 17:16 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of Local Energy Rules, guests Lynne Barker, Scott Runkel, and host John Farrell discuss Blaine County's 2020 commitment to 100 percent renewable energy and how Idaho communities can reach their goals.… Read More

Leaders in Morris, Minn., Create a Model for Rural Resilience

February 16, 2022 15:09 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, guests Troy Goodnough and Blaine Hill join John Farrell to discuss the Morris Model. They discuss local and international partnerships and what it means to be a model community.… Read More

By Controlling Transmission, Utilities Corner the Electricity Market

February 02, 2022 20:48 - 59 minutes - 27.1 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Ari Peskoe discuss how utilities have gained outsized market power by owning transmission infrastructure and how federal regulators could reintroduce competition through targeted regulation.… Read More

What Is the Value of Solar?

January 19, 2022 18:15 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Gabriel Chan discuss how to calculate solar energy’s true value, where to improve Minnesota’s Value of Solar, and why we must ground decisions in data.… Read More

The Long Wait for Community Solar in Washington State

January 05, 2022 15:34 - 28 minutes - 40.7 MB

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.… Read More

Can More Competition Fix an Outdated Energy System?

December 22, 2021 16:35 - 55 minutes - 50.8 MB

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.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Moab Anchors Utah Community Renewable Energy Program

December 08, 2021 20:52 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell and guests Mila Dunbar-Irwin and Kalen Jones discuss how, using collective buying power, Moab and other participating cities will negotiate for 100 percent renewable energy from Rocky Mountain Power.… Read More

Ithaca Races Against the Clock to Decarbonize All Buildings by 2030

November 24, 2021 18:42 - 52 minutes - 77.3 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Luis Aguirre-Torres discuss Ithaca’s Green New Deal, financing the city’s decarbonization effort, and getting the work done as time runs out.… Read More

New Mexico Co-op Dumps Monopoly Supplier to Offer More Solar

November 17, 2021 19:57 - 43 minutes - 50.1 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Luis Reyes discuss how Kit Carson’s exit from Tri-State Generation and Transmission allowed the co-op to target 100 percent daytime solar power — without sacrificing affordability.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Des Moines Commits to Clean Electricity Around the Clock

November 03, 2021 18:29 - 38 minutes - 43.9 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell and guests Kari Carney and Josh Mandelbaum discuss Des Moines’s round-the-clock clean electricity resolution and how it differs from traditional clean energy commitments.… Read More

Drone Data Helps a Minnesota City Conserve Energy

October 20, 2021 15:49 - 31 minutes - 35.6 MB

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.… Read More

Rep. Seth Berry on the Movement for Publicly-Owned Power in Maine

October 06, 2021 17:42 - 46 minutes - 52.9 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Seth Berry discuss Our Power Maine: an initiative to replace Maine's investor-owned utilities with a consumer-owned utility.… Read More

Colorado Law Creates Transparency at Rural Electric Co-ops

September 22, 2021 14:34 - 35 minutes - 40.2 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Joe Smyth discuss barriers to democratic participation in rural electric cooperative decision-making and how to promote transparency at all electric co-ops. … Read More

Queremos Sol: Seeking Solar Power for All Puerto Rican Homes

September 09, 2021 17:25 - 46 minutes - 53.4 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Ingrid Vila discuss why rooftop solar should power every home in Puerto Rico, reducing residential electricity rates and covering basic needs during future crises.… Read More

Voices of 100%: A Renewable City Coalition Grows in Western Montana

August 25, 2021 14:44 - 31 minutes - 36.5 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell and guests Patrick Judge and Mark Juedeman discuss Helena’s commitment to 100% renewable energy. Helena has joined Missoula and Bozeman, building a commanding coalition in western Montana.… Read More

The Role of Antitrust Law in Creating Energy Democracy

August 11, 2021 15:13 - 50 minutes - 58.3 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guest Jean Su discuss how legal advocacy for energy democracy can overcome some of the utility hurdles to a renewable energy economy.… Read More

Given Detailed Analysis, Grids Can Host the Most Solar

July 28, 2021 21:18 - 30.4 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Yochi Zakai discuss utility hosting capacity analysis and how publicly shared grid information can help solar developers, electric customers, and others make informed decisions.… Read More

Get More Solar by Making Utilities Share Data

July 28, 2021 21:18 - 26 minutes - 30.4 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Yochi Zakai discuss utility hosting capacity analysis and how publicly shared grid information can help solar developers, electric customers, and others make informed decisions.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Eau Claire Solar Gardens Save the Day

July 14, 2021 17:16 - 23 minutes - 27 MB

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.… Read More

For Public Utilities, Customers Spark Pioneering Policy with a Vote

June 30, 2021 18:22 - 31 minutes - 36.6 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Eric Williams discuss the growing momentum for clean energy and how people drive change within public utilities.… Read More

Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Roadblocks in the Rooftop Revolution

June 16, 2021 20:46 - 53 minutes - 61.2 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Danny Kennedy discuss rooftop solar revolutions, Kennedy’s work at New Energy Nexus, and the importance of innovation in the energy sector. … Read More

Voices of 100%: In Case of Emergency, Break Down Barriers to Net Zero

June 03, 2021 16:40 - 36 minutes - 42.1 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell talks with guests Mark Gamba and Natalie Rogers of Milwaukie, Oregon. In 2020, the city declared a climate emergency and accelerated its climate action goals.… Read More

Greetings From Hawaii, Where Utility Profit Depends on Performance

May 19, 2021 17:51 - 32 minutes - 36.7 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Isaac Moriwake discuss how Hawaii’s new performance-based utility regulation will adjust utility incentives, ultimately saving customer dollars and propelling the transition to clean energy.… Read More

How Big Utilities’ Climate Pledges Fall Short

May 05, 2021 16:47 - 38 minutes - 43.7 MB

For this episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell and guest John Romankiewicz discuss The Dirty Truth About Utility Climate Pledges: utilities are doing far too little to retire coal, replace it with clean energy, and fulfill their promises.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Youth Propel a Climate Action Plan in St. Louis Park

April 21, 2021 18:26 - 30 minutes - 35.1 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell and guests Larry Kraft and Emily Ziring discuss the St. Louis Park, Minn. climate action plan and commitment to carbon neutrality by 2040.… Read More

Community Solar Collective Gives Member-Owners Power

April 07, 2021 15:49 - 31 minutes - 36.2 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Timothy DenHerder-Thomas discuss the People’s Solar Energy Fund, an initiative to pool together community-owned solar developers and scale up community solar nationwide.… Read More

Connecting Customers to Create a Virtual Power Plant

March 24, 2021 15:31 - 31 minutes - 35.6 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and CEO of OhmConnect Cisco DeVries discuss demand response and the 550 megawatt Resi-Station “virtual power plant.”… Read More

Voices of 100%: Hanover Residents Raise Hands for Renewable Energy

March 10, 2021 15:30 - 24 minutes - 28.6 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of Local Energy Rules, host John Farrell talks with Hanover, N.H. Sustainability Director April Salas about coalition building, taking action in a small town, and slowing down to achieve goals the right way.… Read More

Should Big Utilities Pay for Their Bad Choices?

February 24, 2021 15:30 - 51 minutes - 93.5 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, republished from ILSR’s Building Local Power podcast, host John Farrell and guest Leslie Glustrom discuss utility accountability and how to equitably transition to clean energy.… Read More

Greenpenny Puts Community Banking to Work for Clean Energy

February 10, 2021 16:51 - 34 minutes - 62.6 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Greenpenny’s Jason MacDuff. They discuss what’s needed for a prompt clean energy transition, the value of community banks, and the success of the innovative Greenpenny model.… Read More

Expanding Access to Energy Efficient Appliances

January 27, 2021 15:39 - 32 minutes - 58.7 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Marti Frank discuss the Shift Model: an approach that uses utility rebates to shift home appliance sales to more efficient models.… Read More

Minneapolis Health Department Splits the Bill with Green Investors

January 13, 2021 15:30 - 43 minutes - 79 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and guest Patrick Hanlon discuss Green Cost Share: a program that promotes public health by matching investments in solar and energy efficiency projects.… Read More

A Portland Fund, Collected from Corporations, Finances Community Benefits

December 30, 2020 15:30 - 35 minutes - 30.4 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Jaimes Valdez about the Portland Clean Energy Fund: a climate action fund for racial and social justice.… Read More

In Seattle, Corporations Must Pay Their Fair Share to Support Climate Justice

December 16, 2020 15:30 - 36 minutes - 32 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell speaks with Jill Mangaliman and Abigail Juaner about Jumpstart Seattle: a corporate payroll tax that will fund housing and Green New Deal initiatives.… Read More

A Solar Settlement for the Good of the Grid

December 02, 2020 15:30 - 28 minutes - 27.4 MB

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules podcast, host John Farrell and Vote Solar’s Thad Culley discuss a net metering settlement underway in the Carolinas: a compromise benefitting the utility, customer-generators, and the electric grid.… Read More

Voices of 100%: Louisville’s Clean Energy Pledge Takes On Multiple Crises

November 18, 2020 21:10 - 30 minutes - 55.4 MB

For this Voices of 100% episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell talks with Brandon Coan and Gretchen Milliken about Louisville, Ky.'s 100% renewable pledge and how it intersects with the fight for racial justice.… Read More

The Post-Election Potential for a 30 Million Solar Rooftop Stimulus

November 04, 2020 23:31 - 30 minutes - 56.6 MB

For this post-Election Day episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, John Farrell and Katie Kienbaum discuss the intersection between federal policy and 30 Million Solar Rooftops: a vision for equitable economic recovery built on climate protection and energy democracy.… Read More

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