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.
Quebec Community Wind Projects 2012
By
Paul Gipe
In a colloquium at the 2012 Husum wind conference, there was a brief report on the progress of community wind in Quebec. By a rather loose definition of “community wind” to include municipal utilities and municipal participation with private developers, Quebec has assigned 294 MW in eleven projects, including one First Nation. The average tariff for the nearly 300 MW of projects is $0.125 CAD per kWh. . .
Preben Maegaard on the Bermuda Economy 2012
By
Paul Gipe
This past September we stopped by the Folkecenter for Renewable Energy in a swing through Jutland. There we met with Preben Maegaard, longtime director of the Folkecenter and one of the pioneers of Danish wind power. . .
For the energy revolution to be a success: Invest into renewable energy!
By
Philippe Vachette
Presentation by Energie Partagée to a conference on community power in France & Germany in Lyon, France. . .
Photovoltaics in the municipality VG Arzfeld
By
Andreas Kruppert
Presentation on the village of Arzfeld in Germany that generates 300% more electricity than they consumer by solar PV that they own together. . .
Solar PV, Local Communities and Citizens–Cornerstones of the Energy Revolution
By
Daniel Belon
Presentation on the development of community-owned renewable energy in France. . .
Renewables International: German energy coops hold first national meeting
By
Craig Morris
Perhaps the biggest difference between the way Germany is switching to renewables and the way many other countries are doing so (China, the US, the UK, France, etc.) is the focus on citizen involvement. Not only does the German solar market consists of a large number of small roof arrays, but the biogas market also consists of a large number of relatively small facilities on individual farms, and small investors are even the driving force behind large wind turbines in “energy cooperatives.” . .
Bloomberg: Germany Gives Citizens a Stake in Clean Energy Switch
By
“Our big utilities completely ignored renewables,” he explained. “In the beginning, the Energiewende was driven almost entirely by individuals. Over half of our renewable power is still produced by small operations.”. .
Reuters: France needs more local power for green energy shift
By
A failure to empower local authorities on energy issues in the next few years could put a brake on its ambition to cut the share of nuclear power in the electricity mix to 50 percent by 2025, down from 75 percent now, green energy experts and local players say. . .
Greg Pahl’s Power from the People–A review
By
Paul Gipe
Greg Pahl’s Power from the People is an inspirational guide to the burgeoning community power movement. His case studies of people who are making a difference is often a tale of endurance and survival, but also a powerful testament to the human spirit. . .
Co-operative energy benefits highlighted
By
Growing numbers of local communities are launching their own renewable energy co-operatives in an effort to slash the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, the Guardian reported. . .
