Three years ago we set out to make it possible for communities to own their energy. And boy did we run into some strange things along the way!
Before introducing those peculiarities, first some background: If people could own their energy, they’d be more secure - both financially and infrastructurally. We could save money and increase our ability to bounce back after natural disasters by producing clean, decentralized energy in our own communities. If ordinary people could put their money toward renewables, instead of investing in fossil fuels on Wall Street, we’d also speed up our response to climate change.
But as we began working toward this vision for community-owned renewable energy, strange things started turning up. We found that you can’t share power with your neighbors even if your roof could produce enough solar power for the both of you. And it’s legally very difficult to pool resources to build and access energy from a neighborhood solar project. Ultimately, most people aren’t able to access local solar energy because they are renters, have poor credit scores, or don’t have enough sun exposure on their roof for solar panels.
Stranger yet, there is a lot of money incentivizing solar for some people, but not as much for low to moderate-income households. Solar tax credits are available for homeowners and wealthy investors, but what about everyone else?
We’ve been working to address those strange things. For example, thanks in part to our advocacy, it’s now at least possible to develop shared solar energy projects with your neighbors. Unfortunately, because of opposition from entrenched interests, it’ll cost a premium for most people to take advantage of that policy. But while there are barriers to sharing energy, we believe we have found a path forward with a new legal model: the Permanent Community Energy Cooperative.
The Permanent Community Energy Cooperative model could be a breakthrough that enables everyone, including people like you, to be a part of fighting both climate change and wealth inequality. This model allows everyone to join a cooperative that strives for permanent access to and control of renewable energy for all of its members. We recently were awarded a grant from the California Energy Commission through the CalSEED program to further develop this model. Exciting! It may be just strange enough to work! If you’d like to learn about some our stranger thoughts behind it, check out this cartoon.
Let us know if you want to learn more and stay informed on community energy updates -- such as jobs or volunteer opportunities, social events, and hopefully one day, memberships in an energy cooperative.
We haven’t been spooked by the strange things we’ve run into -- we’re energized by the emerging opportunities and hope you are too!
IN OTHER NEWS:
CA Farmer Equity Act Signed into Law!
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Come to our 2017 Fall Celebration & Showcase! EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
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UPCOMING EVENTS:
Teach In: Cooperative Solutions to the Housing Crisis, November 2 (San Francisco, CA)
This teach-in will explore some of the underlying drivers of mass displacement and gentrification, how we build community and power, and models for community-controlled permanently affordable housing. Co-facilitated by the San Francisco Community Land Trust, Sustainable Economies Law Center, and the East Bay Community Law Center. RSVP here.
RSF Social Finance & Law Center Joint Happy Hour, November 6, (Oakland, CA)
Join us at our upcoming happy hour as we celebrate the work of building just and resilient economies and food systems! This happy hour is co-hosted by RSF Social Finance, a financial services organization seeking to revolutionize how people relate to money, offering investing, lending, and giving services to those who are committed to improving society and the environment. RSVP here.
On November 15, we’re collaborating with Full Circle Fund to bring together speakers to present and discuss unique approaches to housing, enterprise, jobs, and investment, highlighting ways that innovative ownership models can transform the economy. This intimate conversation will hone in on how each of us as citizens and participants in the economy have choices we can make that can support a movement to create different outcomes. RSVP here.
As nonprofits and movement workers committed to social transformation, how can we embody the change we want to see and create more effective, accountable, and equitable organizations as we do it? This training will explore how to infuse the governance, management, and operational practices of our organizations with our values of social, racial, gender, and ecological justice through a commitment to deep democracy. RSVP here.
Resilient Communities Legal Cafe, East Bay
The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides direct legal advice, workshops, teach-ins, discussions, and legal services to businesses and organizations that are trying to make their communities a better place to live and thrive. Come, ask us your questions, and join others from your neighborhood who are taking their livelihoods, communities, and economies back! See dates and locations here.
