Local Energy Rules

Local Energy Rules

Society EN ↓ 280 episodes

This bi-weekly podcast from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance shares powerful stories of local renewable energy, from mayors discussing their city’s commitment to 100% renewable energy to tales of innovative community owned solar to questions about the the best rooftop solar policy. Join host John Farrell, the director of the Institute’s Energy Democracy Initiative, as he asks if the 100-year-old monopoly market structure for electricity delivery makes sense in an on-demand, distributed 21st century energy system. Tell us what you think.

Author

Local Energy Rules

Category

Society

Podcast website

ilsr.org

Latest episode

Jul 1, 2026

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Episodes

How This Mountain Town Funds Its Own Climate Future — Episode 274 01.07.2026

Boulder's voter-approved climate tax has funded local climate action since 2006. Its lessons are ones any city can use.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/boulder-climate-tax-lessons-ler274/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ |   Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, l...

States Can Stop Utilities From Strangling Local Solar — Episode 273 17.06.2026

Solar is ready. Thanks to utilities, the rules to connect it to the grid aren't.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/state-interconnection-rules-ler273/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ |   Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast fe...

Reducing Red Tape to Slash Rooftop Solar Costs — Episode 272 03.06.2026

States can slash rooftop solar costs with instant permits and remote visits.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/reducing-rooftop-solar-red-tape-ler272| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ |   Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast fee...

Solar Plus Suds Builds Self-Reliance — Episode 271 20.05.2026

A solar-powered laundromat is changing daily life on the Pine Ridge reservation.|  Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/pine-ridge-solar-ler271/|  Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ |   Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and...

How Much Are You Paying For Utility Profits? — Episode 270 06.05.2026

In some states, 30 cents of every dollar a customer pays to their electric utility goes to the utility’s shareholders’ profits. How widespread is this problem and how did it happen?   | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/utility-profit-calculator-ler270/   | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-...

Xcel Owns the Batteries, You Pay the Bill — Episode 269 of Local Energy Rules 22.04.2026

What can we expect from a new utility-owned distributed storage program that made headlines when it was announced over 18 months ago? Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/distributed-storage-ler269/ Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, l...

Black Churches Power Up A Solar Revival — Episode 268 of Local Energy Rules 08.04.2026

What makes faith communities such attractive hosts for resilience hubs?

A Coal Town Digs Deep for Municipal Clean Heat — Episode 267 of Local Energy Rules 25.03.2026

How did this coal town ditch gas lines, win grants, and make municipal networked geothermal the cheapest heating option?

The Utility Power Trip Behind Transmission Network Upgrades — Episode 266 of Local Energy Rules 11.03.2026

Who should pay for upgrades to the high voltage transmission network?| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/transmission-network-upgrades-ler266/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and jo...

How This City Got Low-Income Solar On The Utility’s Dime — Episode 265 of Local Energy Rules 25.02.2026

San Diego may be the only city to have secured upfront funding from utility shareholders to make clean energy cheaper.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/San-Diego-franchise-agreement-ler265/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, le...

A 2nd State Puts Utility Performance Over Profits — Episode 264 of Local Energy Rules 11.02.2026

Oregon tries to tie utility profits to climate, cost, and reliability targets through performance-based regulation.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/oregon-performance-based-regulation-ler264/ Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends,...

42 Million People Can Use this Toolkit to Lower Electric Bills — Episode 263 of Local Energy Rules 28.01.2026

Rural electric co-op members should use this new toolkit to swap coal debt for clean, affordable energy.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/rural-electric-coop-toolkit-ler263/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommenda...

Solar and Portable Batteries Save Lives after Storms — Episode 262 of Local Energy Rules 14.01.2026

NOLA’s Community Lighthouse initiative creates local hubs with rooftop solar and portable batteries to save lives after storms.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/solar-and-batteries-save-lives-ler262/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your f...

DIY Plug-In Solar Is On The Way — Episode 261 of Local Energy Rules 31.12.2025

These plug-in devices bypass utility hassles to offer cheap, convenient power for everyone.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/plug-in-solar-ler261/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds,...

Public Power Can Tackle The Affordability Crisis — Episode 260 of Local Energy Rules 17.12.2025

Learn how public power can tackle the affordability crisis.

Cutting Tax Credit Losses With Third-Party Ownership — (Bonus) Episode 259 of Local Energy Rules 10.12.2025

The solar tax credit landscape is changing. Third-party ownership could be one way to cut losses.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/third-party-ownership-ler259/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our p...

Leveraging Distributed Power Plants To Lower Costs — (Bonus) Episode 258 of Local Energy Rules 03.12.2025

Learn about pending Minnesota legislation to enable distributed power plants and their potential impact on energy affordability.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/MN-virtual-power-plants-ler258/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/| Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends,...

A Blueprint for Scalable Cooperative Solar Energy — Episode 257 of Local Energy Rules 03.12.2025

What happens when you combine cooperative solar ownership with a clever standardized design meant to match the scale and capacity of local communities and their grids?| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/maine-cooperative-community-solar-ler257| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Do...

State Solutions for Local Energy Action — (Bonus) Episode 256 of Local Energy Rules 26.11.2025

Learn how state legislatures can pave the way for cities to advance clean energy and equitably address climate change.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/state-solutions-local-action-ler256/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/| Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leav...

How to Raise the Bar for Community Solar in Minnesota — (Bonus) Episode 255 of Local Energy Rules 19.11.2025

Learn about the recent improvements to Minnesota's community solar program and what can be done to better encourage cooperative ownership models.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/mn-community-solar-ler255/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/| Don't forget to subscribe, share with y...

The Oregon Trail To Community Microgrids — Episode 254 of Local Energy Rules 19.11.2025

Learn how this state developed a community microgrid law to enhance community resilience against power shutoffs and grid failure.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/or-community-microgrids-ler254/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friend...

The State Fighting The Feds to Lower Energy Costs – (Bonus) Episode 253 of Local Energy Rules 12.11.2025

Learn how this state is ramping up the fight with the feds for local, clean energy affordability and access. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/MN-fights-feds-ler253/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on...

The Minnesota Lawmaker Tackling Energy Problems Head-On — (Bonus) Episode 252 of Local Energy Rules 05.11.2025

Learn about how this Minnesota lawmaker wants to tackle her state’s energy problems. Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/acomb-ler252/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds, and join the con...

Distributed Power Banishes Blackouts In Puerto Rico — Episode 251 of Local Energy Rules 05.11.2025

It’s been eight years since Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, causing one of the longest power outages in U.S. history and leaving behind a fragile electric grid. But Puerto Ricans have taken their future into their own hands, and thousands of locals have invested in solar panels and batteries to keep the lights on for themselves and for everyone. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podca...

The Job No One Does Well — (Bonus) Episode 250 of Local Energy Rules 29.10.2025

No state in America is currently doing utility regulation well. But there’s hope.| Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/energy-democracy/states-all-do-a-bad-job-ler250/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-energy-rules-podcast/ | Don't forget to subscribe, share with your friends, leave a recommendation on our podcast feeds,...

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