All Posts
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
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2023 Q4
Maria McCoy
March 25, 2024
14 gigawatts of new power generation capacity came online in the fourth quarter of 2023. Over eight gigawatts of this fourth quarter surge was large-scale solar, with distributed solar contributing another two gigawatts.READ MORE
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
Arizona’s High Stakes Utility Election — Episode 205 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
March 13, 2024
Charlie Fisher discusses the upcoming Salt River Project election and how clean energy advocates could flip the public utility's board and reverse anti-solar and anti-democratic policies.READ MORE
Smarter Rules for Smart Meters — Episode 204 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
February 28, 2024
Michael Murray explains the many capabilities of smart meters, his critique of a Rhode Island utility proposal to expand advanced metering, and how state and federal regulators can establish best practices for fairness and data access.READ MORE
Why Utility Execs Hate Distributed Solar
Maria McCoy
February 21, 2024
In this 30 minute presentation to the Just Solar Coalition, Timothy Den-Herder Thomas and John Farrell explain the benefits of distributed solar, why utility companies try to stifle it, and how this conflict has reared its ugly head in Minnesota.READ MORE
The Concrete Benefits of Virtual Power Plants — Episode 203 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
February 14, 2024
Chris Rauscher explains the benefits of coordinating distributed energy resources, how residential solar and storage customers have saved their neighbors from blackouts, and why every utility could be offering a virtual power plant program.READ MORE
10 Years of Minnesota’s Community Solar Program — Episode 202 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
January 31, 2024
Pouya Najmaie discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Minnesota’s community solar program, its many regulatory and legislative changes over the years, and how utility Xcel Energy has found a new way to try to suppress distributed generation.READ MORE
Self-Determination Can Save the Energy System
Maria McCoy
January 24, 2024
In this 15 minute presentation for The Solutions Summit 2023, John Farrell makes the case for self-determination over the energy system. Instead of tolerating costly energy monopolies, states and cities can empower communities and harness the benefits of local ownership.READ MORE
Petitioners Ask Feds to Investigate Utility Abuses of Monopoly Power — Episode 201 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
January 17, 2024
In this episode from the archive, Howard Crystal and Liz Veazey discuss a petition to the Federal Trade Commission and why electric utility practices require federal investigation. ILSR first published this interview in June of 2022.READ MORE
200 Episodes, 10 Lessons, and Your Questions — Episode 200 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
January 3, 2024
For this milestone 200th episode, John Farrell reflects on 10 years of making the Local Energy Rules podcast, shares what he has learned from over 200 guests, and answers some listener questions.READ MORE
Scaling Up Home Energy Investment — Episode 199 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
December 20, 2023
Matt Flaherty discusses the barriers to home energy upgrades, how inclusive utility investment is a scalable solution that addresses many of these barriers, and what it will take to get utilities on board with on-bill financing.READ MORE
New Power Generation Quarterly: 2023 Q3
Maria McCoy
December 15, 2023
7.2 gigawatts of new power generation capacity came online in the third quarter of 2023. Half of that capacity (3.6 gigawatts) was large-scale solar alone, while small-scale solar contributed nearly a third with a record-setting 2.1 gigawatts.READ MORE
Community Solar Tracker
Maria McCoy
December 13, 2023
ILSR tracks community solar capacity in states with formal programs that allow non-utility ownership. This quarterly update (2023 Q3) shows the capacity built in nine states, with a focus on projects in investor-owned utility service territory.READ MORE
Loopholes and Scams in New York Gas Plans — Episode 198 of Local Energy Rules
Maria McCoy
December 6, 2023
Ben Kuebrich discusses New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, what to expect when gas utilities do their own decarbonization planning, and how states and clean energy advocates can actually address methane gas use in the buildings sector.READ MORE