News & Articles on Community Power
Developing renewable energy on the scale needed to make the energy transition will require public acceptance. Unlike nuclear power, where society can force a single plant on a community for the benefit of society at large, renewable energy will have to become ubiquitous in our communities and on our landscapes. This can only be possible when the majority accept this transformation. Experience has taught that acceptance is greatest when neighbors and the community at large can participate in the renewable energy revolution. The beauty of renewable energy is that everyone can take part–and own a stake in their future–when given an opportunity to do so. The challenge is creating the policies that make this possible, whether it’s for a community wind project or a solar garden.
SPP: Former landfill site to be turned into 2.4MW community solar farm
By
Peter Bennett
West Solent Solar Co-operative is turning to the local community to help raise the necessary £2.5 million construction costs to install the solar farm when it launches a public share offering later this month.
Der Spiegel: German Village Becomes Model for Renewable Energy
By
Renuka Rayasam
The tiny village of Feldheim, some 60 kilometers southwest of Berlin, was catapulted by chance to the forefront of the renewable energy movement. Now visitors from around the world are flocking to this otherwise unremarkable rural community to see if they can replicate its success.
Nova Scotia’s COMFIT program to change after review
By
As of January, 89 COMFIT projects had been approved, with a total capacity of 200 megawatts. When launched in 2011, the program’s target was 100 megawatts. It is not expected that all approved projects will go into production. COMFIT is designed for locally based renewable electricity projects. They must be community-owned and connected at the distribution grid.
Social landlord in £10m solar FIT deal: Landlord sells feed-in tariff income to institutional investor
By
Nick Duxbury, Pete Apps
‘The beauty of this deal is that every-body’s interests are aligned: the investor makes solid financial returns, with measurable social and environmental impact; tenants enjoy access to free daytime power, which helps them escape fuel poverty; Gentoo enjoys an ongoing return and financing to continue their exciting developments and the community receives funding for local initiatives from the profits.’
Australian: ACT launches ‘community solar’ program
By
Canberra residents will be provided with a new opportunity to invest in solar power under a community solar feed-in tariff (FiT) from the ACT Government.
Renewables International: The Power Grab–Citizens as producers, not just consumers
By
Craig Morris
Beckman writes that “analysts” speak of “gross inefficiencies” in national schemes: “wind and solar power get built where subsidies are highest rather than where there is most wind or sun in Europe.” What the RECS and the ECJ are proposing might sound like a free market, but the outcome will be an oligopoly – a concentration of the renewables market among conventional energy firms that have slowed down the transition up to now. It’s a power grab
Guardian: Cornish town plans to restore its energy self-sufficiency by 2020
By
Clare Goff
Cornish town plans to restore its energy self-sufficiency by 2020 To combat fuel poverty, Wadebridge – where a century ago the local electricity company and gasworks provided for all its needs – has embarked on a pioneering community energy programme
Clean Energy Blog: 40 Religious Groups Practicing Creation Care with Wind Turbine
By
Simon Mahon
Creation Care merges faith with proactive solutions to protect God’s creation. Next week, the season of Lent begins for millions of faithful people around the world. To mirror the 40 days of Lent, here are 40 churches, religious schools and faith-based organizations around the world that are putting their faith to work by promoting wind energy.
Renewables International: German Policy proposals bad for energy coops
By
Craig Morris
German energy coop lobby group DGRV says that the current proposals for changes in energy policy would put an end to the Energiewende as we know it – as a grassroots movement from the 1970s.
Renewables International: German Energy cooperatives up, up, and away
By
Craig Morris
German renewable energy organization AEE has updated its chart showing the number of energy co-ops in the country,, which continues to rise. The question is whether community ownership has any future under the new policy plans.
