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.
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.
72 MW Community-Owned Wind Farm Installed in Germany
By
Paul Gipe
This is the largest community-owned wind farm in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) and may be one of the largest community-owned wind plants in the world. More than 700 regional property owners and residents invested in the project.
Mainichi: Construction plans for mid-sized geothermal plants booming across Japan
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The purchase price for renewable energy generated by a power plant whose maximum output is less than 15,000 kilowatts is also set relatively high at 42 yen per kilowatt hour under the feed-in tariff system, encouraging new companies to enter the business.
ISEP: Fukushima Community Power Declaration
By
We highly welcome the launch of the Fukushima Community Power Fund and call on community power proponents in Japan to support the fund so that it can soon become fully operational and support community power groups in investing in renewable energy projects.
Britain’s Community Energy Plan Proposes Doubling FIT Cap
By
Paul Gipe
The only concrete proposal is DECC’s statement that “We will be consulting in spring 2014 on doubling the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) maximum capacity ceiling from 5MW to 10MW for community projects.”
OPA: Strong Demand Continues for Feed-In Tariff Program
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More than four years after the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) launched North America’s first comprehensive Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Program, Ontario’s renewable energy industry, municipalities, Aboriginal communities and community organizations continue to show strong interest in the program. Nearly 80 percent of net applications have Aboriginal, community, municipal or public sector participation
