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.
CEE urges suppliers to support community energy after FiT closure
By
Alice Grundy
Community Energy England (CEE) has called for energy suppliers to offer ‘suitable’ tariffs for community energy in the wake of the feed-in tariff (FiT) closure.
Scots island community wind build underway
By
North Uist Development Company (NUDC) has kicked off construction of the UistWind community wind farm on the Scottish island after a successful fundraising campaign.
Up in the Air–Be a voice for change
By
Prince Edward County County Sustainability Group
Up in the Air is a short film about the wind turbine project in Prince Edward County. For nearly two decades, a group of County residents have been supporting wind energy initiatives. The White Pines project near Milford looks to be the answer to that quest. But with four of the nine turbines up and ready to capture wind energy, the provincial government recently halted the project.
Salisbury Community Energy wants schools to sign up for solar power
By
Gemma Gibson
As the government will be withdrawing the renewable energy Feed-in Tariff from March (income received from selling solar power generated energy into the national grid), Salisbury Community Energy (SCE) is appealing for as many large sites as possible to sign up for solar photovoltaics (PV) installation before this deadline, to not only help in making Salisbury eco-friendly but to pay back local investors and form a community benefit fund.
Why Minnesota’s Community Solar Program is the Best
By
John Farrell
Minnesota’s community solar program hit a record 460 megawatts of operational capacity in November 2018. The chart above shows the progress of projects through the program since August 2015, and the nearly two-year lag between the program launch in December 2014 and the successful ignition of multiple megawatts of capacity in January 2017.
Community Solar With an Equity Lens: Generating Electricity and Jobs in North Minneapolis
By
Maria Mccoy
Shiloh Temple, a church two miles from downtown Minneapolis, serves more than just the spiritual needs of the community. After a recent update to its roof, this church in North Minneapolis now serves some of the community’s energy needs, as well.
Rural communities receive windfalls from wind farms
By
The wind turbines mean my family now has a future but it also means a better future for my local community too because the money I make from hosting them on my land is spent at local businesses. It has enabled me to make repairs to my farm and hire local workers to carry them out.
Building Stronger Communities: Wind’s Growing Role in Regional Australia
By
Australia’s 82 operational wind farms deliver significant financial and social benefits to their host communities. Sharing these benefits equitably with local host communities ensures these projects generate not just much-needed clean energy, but also strengthen the social and economic fabric of regional Australia.
Electricity Rebels and How They’re Changing the Face of Renewable Energy
By
Paul Gipe
Presentation for the CORE Energy Summit in Winnipeg, Manitoba 12 April 2018.
2018: A community energy fightback?
By
Gary Hartley
In recent years, community energy seems to have been teetering on the brink of a breakthrough into the UK energy mainstream. But despite a large number of local renewables schemes getting off the ground, progress has been affected by factors such as the cuts to the rates of Feed-in Tariff (FiT) payments.
