Best Local Energy Rules Podcasts (2024)

The Florida Legislature removed local control of Gainesville’s century-old municipal utility, but Commissioner Bryan Eastman explains how the city plans to take it back. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/articles/public-power-ballot-florida-ler221/| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/…

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Solar Help Desk Offers Agenda-Free Consumer Assistance — Episode 220 of Local Energy Rules 31:32

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1M ago31:32

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Jani Hale and Liz Veazy from Solar United Neighbors explain how the Solar Help Desk aids consumers and how the group organizes people to fight for solar rights. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/article/solar-help-desk-agenda-free-ler220/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/energy/local-ene…

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Crashing the Utility Transmission Planning Party — Episode 219 of Local Energy Rules

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Shelley Welton discusses why utilities cannot be trusted to coordinate their electricity transmission plans and how an independent planning authority could step in where federal regulators have floundered. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/articles/crashing-utility-transmission-planning-party-ler219/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules …

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How Cities Can Simplify Rooftop Solar — Episode 218 of Local Energy Rules 49:13

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Toyah Callahan and Zach Greene discuss how the SolSmart technical assistance platform supports local governments as they streamline their solar permitting, inspection, and zoning processes, making it easier for residents to go solar. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/cities-simplify-rooftop-solar-ler218/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Ru…

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Leah Stokes and Tim Hade on Climate Resilience in California — Episode 217 of Local Energy Rules 45:34

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Tim Hade and Leah Stokes discuss how, through the coordination of a virtual power plant, distributed energy generation and storage will provide resilient and affordable electric power to a vulnerable area of Santa Barbara County. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/stokes-hade-climate-resilience-california-ler217/ | Listen to all of our Local E…

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How Monopoly Utilities Abuse Their Power — Episode 216 of Local Energy Rules 18:36

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John Farrell summarizes ILSR’s recent report, Upcharge: Hidden Costs of Electric Utility Monopoly Power, and makes the case for restoring competition to the electricity system. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/how-monopoly-utilities-abuse-power-ler216/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/l…

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The Cost of Utility-Controlled Vehicle Charging — Episode 215 of Local Energy Rules 41:26

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Doug Kantor discusses why the electric vehicle charging market must be competitive, rather than controlled by utilities, and why convenience stores are particularly suited to provide vehicle fueling wherever customers are. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/the-cost-utility-controlled-vehicle-charging-ler215/ | Listen to all of our Local Energ…

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Financing Platform Opens the Door to Solar Ownership — Episode 214 of Local Energy Rules 1:03:57

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Bracken Hendricks discusses how Working Power, a community development and financing platform, helps community-based organizations retain ownership of clean energy projects and the financial benefits of clean energy investment. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/financing-platform-solar-ownership-ler214/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rul…

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Paying Solar Incentives Direct to Nonprofits — Episode 213 of Local Energy Rules 50:21

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Jeremy Kalin discusses the evolution of federal tax incentives for renewable energy and how the direct pay provision of the Inflation Reduction Act will deliver more financial benefits to cities, counties, and nonprofits. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/solar-incentives-direct-pay-ler213/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast ep…

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 3: Seven Generations to Come — Episode 212 of Local Energy Rules 24:20

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Out of the legislative fight over the nuclear plant next door, Prairie Island Indian Community is building its own net zero energy future, on part three of our special series, Seven Hundreds Yards. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/articles/700-yards-pt3-seven-generations-ler212/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at o…

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 2: Pretend Democracy — Episode 211 of Local Energy Rules 28:14

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In part two of our special series, Seven Hundred Yards, we find out why the nuclear waste “temporarily” stored on Prairie Island is still there 30 years later. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/articles/700-yards-pt2-pretend-democracy-ler211| Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast episodes at our site: https://ilsr.org/local-energy-r…

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 1: A Small Island in the Mississippi — Episode 210 of Local Energy Rules 28:44

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Prairie Island community members and experts explain how powerful players allowed a nuclear plant to be built less than 700 yards away from the Native Nation, in part one of our special series, Seven Hundred Yards. | Show page available: https://ilsr.org/articles/700-yards-pt1-small-island-ler210/ | Listen to all of our Local Energy Rules podcast e…

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Advocate Puts Full Court Pressure on Utilities — Episode 209 of Local Energy Rules

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Advocating for a distributed, democratized clean energy transition involves a never-ending series of legal and regulatory battles. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Mariel Nanasi, executive director of New Energy Economy. They discuss New Energy Economy’s efforts before lawmakers, regulators, and cou…

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Standing Rock’s Wind Project Puts People First — Episode 208 of Local Energy Rules

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A community-owned clean energy project has a lot more to offer than just electricity. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Christina Hollenback, CEO of Justice Capital, and Joseph McNeil, CEO of SAGE Development Authority. They discuss how SAGE Development Authority has created a model for community-led…

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Ann Arbor’s Public Pathway to Reliable Power — Episode 207 of Local Energy Rules

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DTE Energy is not meeting Ann Arbor’s needs for reliable, renewable electricity. Could a municipal takeover be the answer to residents’ pleas? For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Gregory Woodring, the president and founder of Ann Arbor for Public Power. They discuss the ways that investor-owned utility…

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A San Diego Solar Takeover — Episode 206 of Local Energy Rules

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Local solar offers relief from exorbitant electric rates, but San Diego may need a different utility business model to see dramatic savings. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Dorrie Bruggemann and Bill Powers, Campaign Coordinator and Campaign Chair of the Power San Diego ballot initiative. They disc…

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Arizona’s High Stakes Utility Election — Episode 205 of Local Energy Rules

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An April election could make an Arizona utility accountable to all of its customers. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Charlie Fisher, Executive Director of Arizonans for a Clean Economy. They discuss the upcoming Salt River Project election and how clean energy advocates could flip the public utilit…

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Smarter Rules for Smart Meters — Episode 204 of Local Energy Rules

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Technology is outpacing laws and regulations in the energy industry, too. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Michael Murray, President of Mission:data Coalition. Murray explains the many capabilities of smart meters, his critique of a Rhode Island utility proposal to expand advanced metering, and how …

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The Concrete Benefits of Virtual Power Plants — Episode 203 of Local Energy Rules 46:00

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Coordinated grid services benefit virtually everyone — with the exception of utility shareholders. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Chris Rauscher, Head of Grid Services and Virtual Power Plants at Sunrun. Sunrun has partnered with utilities to reward their residential customers who dispatch electri…

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10 Years of Minnesota’s Community Solar Program — Episode 202 of Local Energy Rules 45:15

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Monopoly utilities give distributed energy advocates little time to celebrate their victories. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Pouya Najmaie, Policy and Regulatory Director at Cooperative Energy Futures. They discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Minnesota’s community solar program, its many regu…

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Petitioners Ask Feds to Investigate Utility Abuses of Monopoly Power — Episode 201 of Local Energy Rules 38:18

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Monopoly energy utilities have accrued vast service territories and extraordinary financial power — which they have used to purchase political power. At this point, state regulatory and legislative bodies can only do so much to rein them in. In this episode from the Local Energy Rules archive, host John Farrell speaks with Howard Crystal and Liz Ve…

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200 Episodes, 10 Lessons, and Your Questions — Episode 200 of Local Energy Rules

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Local Energy Rules is celebrating a milestone! For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell reflects on 10 years of making the podcast, what he has learned from over 200 guests, and answers some listener questions. Listen to the full episode and explore more resources below — including a transcript and summary of the conver…

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Scaling Up Home Energy Investment — Episode 199 of Local Energy Rules

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Matt Flaherty discusses the barriers to home energy upgrades, how inclusive utility investment is a scalable solution that addresses many of these barriers, and what it will take to get utilities on board with on-bill financing.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Loopholes and Scams in New York Gas Plans — Episode 198 of Local Energy Rules

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Ben Kuebrich discusses New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, what to expect when gas utilities do their own decarbonization planning, and how states and clean energy advocates can actually address methane gas use in the buildings sector.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Utility Millions Take Down Popular Measure — Episode 197 of Local Energy Rules

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Lucy Hochschartner explains how public power would have been an improvement over Maine’s investor-owned utilities, yet didn’t receive the support of Maine voters on November 7th.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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New Paths for Rural Electric Co-op Revival — Episode 196 of Local Energy Rules 34:31

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This is a defining moment for rural communities and the clean energy transition. For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, host John Farrell is joined by Frances Sawyer, founder of Pleiades Strategy, and Maria McCoy, researcher at ILSR. They discuss ILSR’s new report on rural electric co-ops and how federal dollars can meet the growing mo…

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Stopping the Spread of Monopolies — Episode 195 of Local Energy Rules

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Lynne Kiesling explains why allowing incumbent monopolies into new markets is too big of a risk for innovation and the public interest, particularly in the context of Xcel Energy’s major electric vehicle charging proposal.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Colorado Bill Increases Utility Accountability — Episode 194 of Local Energy Rules

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Steve Fenberg discusses Colorado’s Senate Bill 291, which changed incentives in the investor-owned utility business model to protect Colorado consumers from high fossil fuel costs and protects captive customers from paying for the utility to lobby against their own interests.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Against All Reason, Indiana Dismantles Rooftop Solar — Episode 193 of Local Energy Rules

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Ben Inskeep discusses Indiana’s backward solar policy, why local solar is a threat to utilities, and how to go up against the powerful entrenched interests of monopolies.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Don’t Follow California’s Lead on Rooftop Solar — Episode 192 of Local Energy Rules

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Sachu Constantine explains the obstacles and opportunities arising for the electric grid as customers become generators and what California got wrong in its 2022 net metering decision.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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The Anti-Competitive Tricks up Utility Sleeves — Episode 191 of Local Energy Rules

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Seth Handy explains how utilities have, through loopholes in federal guidance and friends on public regulatory bodies, protected their own interests at the expense of clean energy projects.… Read MoreBy Institute for Local Self-Reliance

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Local Energy Rules Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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Local Energy Rules

Local Energy Rules

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Envisioning a Future Without Investor-Owned Utilities – Episode 222 of Local Energy Rules 47:25

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Public Power on the Ballot in Florida — Episode 221 of Local Energy Rules 35:25

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Solar Help Desk Offers Agenda-Free Consumer Assistance — Episode 220 of Local Energy Rules 31:32

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Crashing the Utility Transmission Planning Party — Episode 219 of Local Energy Rules

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How Cities Can Simplify Rooftop Solar — Episode 218 of Local Energy Rules 49:13

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Leah Stokes and Tim Hade on Climate Resilience in California — Episode 217 of Local Energy Rules 45:34

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How Monopoly Utilities Abuse Their Power — Episode 216 of Local Energy Rules 18:36

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The Cost of Utility-Controlled Vehicle Charging — Episode 215 of Local Energy Rules 41:26

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Financing Platform Opens the Door to Solar Ownership — Episode 214 of Local Energy Rules 1:03:57

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Paying Solar Incentives Direct to Nonprofits — Episode 213 of Local Energy Rules 50:21

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 3: Seven Generations to Come — Episode 212 of Local Energy Rules 24:20

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 2: Pretend Democracy — Episode 211 of Local Energy Rules 28:14

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Seven Hundred Yards Pt. 1: A Small Island in the Mississippi — Episode 210 of Local Energy Rules 28:44

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Advocate Puts Full Court Pressure on Utilities — Episode 209 of Local Energy Rules

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Standing Rock’s Wind Project Puts People First — Episode 208 of Local Energy Rules

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Ann Arbor’s Public Pathway to Reliable Power — Episode 207 of Local Energy Rules

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A San Diego Solar Takeover — Episode 206 of Local Energy Rules

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Arizona’s High Stakes Utility Election — Episode 205 of Local Energy Rules

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Smarter Rules for Smart Meters — Episode 204 of Local Energy Rules

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The Concrete Benefits of Virtual Power Plants — Episode 203 of Local Energy Rules 46:00

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10 Years of Minnesota’s Community Solar Program — Episode 202 of Local Energy Rules 45:15

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Petitioners Ask Feds to Investigate Utility Abuses of Monopoly Power — Episode 201 of Local Energy Rules 38:18

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200 Episodes, 10 Lessons, and Your Questions — Episode 200 of Local Energy Rules

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Scaling Up Home Energy Investment — Episode 199 of Local Energy Rules

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Loopholes and Scams in New York Gas Plans — Episode 198 of Local Energy Rules

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Utility Millions Take Down Popular Measure — Episode 197 of Local Energy Rules

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New Paths for Rural Electric Co-op Revival — Episode 196 of Local Energy Rules 34:31

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Stopping the Spread of Monopolies — Episode 195 of Local Energy Rules

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Colorado Bill Increases Utility Accountability — Episode 194 of Local Energy Rules

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Against All Reason, Indiana Dismantles Rooftop Solar — Episode 193 of Local Energy Rules

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Don’t Follow California’s Lead on Rooftop Solar — Episode 192 of Local Energy Rules

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The Anti-Competitive Tricks up Utility Sleeves — Episode 191 of Local Energy Rules

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