Energy Democracy Initiative

Empowering households and communities to push for clean, locally-owned, affordable energy and challenging the excessive power of monopoly utilities

Key Topics

Community Solar

Community Solar

Individuals subscribe to a portion of a nearby solar garden and get credits on their utility bill for the electricity it produces.
Rooftop Solar

Rooftop Solar

Solar panels on the roofs of homes, businesses, and government buildings.
Monopoly Utilities

Monopoly Utilities

Private companies with a government-granted monopoly over electricity delivery.
Public Power

Public Power

Utility companies owned by the cities they serve.
Local Ownership

Local Ownership

When communities get to make their own decisions about clean energy projects.
Clean Heat

Clean Heat

Community-scaled heating and cooling networks that do not produce greenhouse gasses.
John Farrell interviews Timothy DenHerder-Thomas

How We Work

  1. We help people aspire and argue for what they need: clean, local, affordable energy and the chance to own it, individually or collectively.
  2. We help people understand why those in power won’t provide it for them by explaining the monopoly utility system, its perverse incentives, and the failure of public oversight.
  3. We push those in power to act in alignment, either directly or in partnership with allies, by intervening in regulatory proceedings, advocating for new policies, and supporting a wide network of climate and community advocates.
  4. We pressure or collaborate with those with power in the climate movement to care about scale, ownership, and energy justice.
  5. We highlight and amplify the successes of others to fuel the work of local organizers, especially through our Local Energy Rules podcast.

Top Resources

Local Energy Rules

Local Energy Rules

Podcast highlighting local successes and strategies to fight utility monopoly power
Advantage Local

Advantage Local

Report on the benefits of distributed, community-owned, locally-sourced clean energy
Community Power Toolkit

Community Power Toolkit

Strategies for cities and communities to pursue energy democracy
Upcharge

Upcharge

Report exposing investor-owned utilities as an abusive monopoly harming our communities, climate, and democracy

Recent Issues

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    Community Solar Tracker
  • Charts & Graphs
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    Community Solar Tracker

    This quarterly update (2024 Q2) shows the community solar capacity built in nine states, with a focus on competitive state markets and projects in investor-owned...

    Maria McCoy

    Sep 4, 2024