Report: Mighty Microgrids

Date: 3 Mar 2016 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Communities all over the country are finding ways to break the macro barriers to microgrids. As we flip from a top-down to bottom-up grid management structure, major policy barriers must be lifted in order to expand energy democracy to customers and producers.… Read More

Report: Hawai’i at the Energy Crossroads

Date: 6 Oct 2015 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On the one hand: Sky-high electricity prices. A 20th century electricity system burning fuel oil and controlled by large monopoly electric utilities. A proposed utility takeover. On the other hand: A new 100% renewable energy standard. Rooftop solar on one of ten homes, saving each customer hundreds of dollars per year. Cost-effective energy storage. A rising interest in locally controlled utilities. Welcome to Hawai’i at the Energy Crossroads.… Read More

Watch: “$364 billion up for grabs” – A Preview of Energy Democracy

Date: 12 Dec 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

2014 marked the year that solar energy, energy storage and electric vehicles – hallmarks of a decentralized electricity grid – got big enough to threaten the electric utilities, exposing their 100-year-old business model as out-of-date. In nearly 20 states, utilities are fighting back, proposing new fees and rules to minimize the competition from customer generated power. … Read More

Report: Beyond Utility 2.0 to Energy Democracy

Date: 9 Dec 2014 | posted in: Energy, Energy Self Reliant States | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Exciting changes are on the horizon for our century-old utility structure as solar power, energy storage, and electric vehicles open new avenues for utility customers to produce their own power and control their energy use. Utilities are scrambling to remain relevant in this technological firestorm, and energy wonks are envisioning a new business model – Utility … Read More