In Depth
The 2024 Community Power Scorecard
Maria McCoy
March 20, 2024
Communities can do a lot to advance energy democracy, but some tools must be granted by state policy. This annual scorecard from ILSR’s Energy Democracy Initiative surveys a suite of 18 policies that help or hinder local clean energy action. READ MORE
Community Solar Tracker
Maria McCoy
April 16, 2024
ILSR tracks community solar capacity in states with formal programs that allow non-utility ownership. This quarterly update (2023 Q4) shows the capacity built in nine states, with a focus on projects in investor-owned utility service territory. READ MORE
Report: Will Long-Term Co-op Contracts Give Way to Affordable Clean Energy?
Maria McCoy
October 30, 2023
ILSR’s new report, The Rural Electric Rift, examines the struggle of electric distribution cooperatives and their members to restore local control over electricity purchasing and harness the benefits of affordable clean energy. READ MORE
Recently Posted
Three Ways to Green the Grid Without New Transmission
April 18, 2024
Transmission lines are slow and expensive to build. This commentary by John Farrell proposes three faster, cheaper, and more efficient tools that could help the climate advocacy and clean energy communities meet their collective goals. READ MORE
Community Solar Tracker
Maria McCoy
April 16, 2024
ILSR tracks community solar capacity in states with formal programs that allow non-utility ownership. This quarterly update (2023 Q4) shows the capacity built in nine states, with a focus on projects in investor-owned utility service territory. READ MORE
Ann Arbor’s Public Pathway to Reliable Power — Episode 207 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
April 12, 2024
Gregory Woodring discusses the ways that investor-owned utility DTE Energy has failed Ann Arbor customers and how the city could take over and provide better service. READ MORE
Community Power Wins and Losses in 2023
Maria McCoy
April 3, 2024
The decisions of state legislatures have big consequences for how communities drive clean energy access and hold utilities accountable. This post breaks down how the policies that states passed last year impacted ILSR’s 2024 Community Power Scorecard. READ MORE
A San Diego Solar Takeover — Episode 206 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
March 27, 2024
Dorrie Bruggemann and Bill Powers discuss how a publicly-owned San Diego electric utility would be more supportive of distributed solar, offer lower rates thanks to that solar, and what it will take to bring the municipalization decision to voters. READ MORE