ILSR’s Energy Self-Reliant States: Minneapolis City Council Unanimously Votes for a Better Energy Future

Jay OwenCommunity Development Solutions

Grassroots pressure makes a difference, as Minneapolis’ city council unanimously adopts a framework for advancing local energy goals thanks to work of the Minneapolis Energy Options campaign (ILSR a leading partner).  For more on the local energy effort, check outmy published commentary on the city of Minneapolis’ flirtation with a municipal electric utility at the Star Tribune (or at ILSR.org).

Or, if you missed it last week and want a diversion, see this picture of my cat, that finally returned last week after disappearing for three weeks. 

Sincerely,

John

Minneapolis City Council Unanimously Votes for a Better Energy Future

Today the Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution, supported by Minneapolis Energy Options, that lays out guidelines for the future franchise negotiations with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy and keeps our  city’s energy options open. The City Council voted unanimously in favor of this resolution, written by Council Members Cam Gordon, Robert Lilligren, Elizabeth Glidden, Betsy Hodges, and Gary Schiff.

“We thank the City Council for voting yes today to keep our energy options open, said Dylan Kesti Campaign Coordinator for Minneapolis Energy Options.” Kesti said, “The City Council is responding to the desire of thousands of Minneapolis residents to expand our energy options to get what’s best for the city we love. The community has been heard and we are now on a path to secure a clean, affordable, reliable, and local energy future.”

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Jim Farrell

How I Got Here

I spent the past two weeks saying goodbye to my father, Jim Farrell, so instead of my usual discussion of good policy and practices for distributed renewable energy, I’m taking time to explore how my dad’s work on sustainability fits  with how I approach it in this blog (and elsewhere) in my work for the Institute…

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Lessons from Minnesota – a Solar Success (Presentation)

This presentation shows the politics, process, and policy that led to Minnesota becoming the 17th state with a solar or distributed renewable energy standard in 2013.  Delivered to a webinar audience of Oregonians for Renewable Energy Progress (OREP) on July 16, 2013, it explains the new solar standard,…

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