BOULDER'S CAMPAIGN FOR LOCAL, RENEWABLE POWER AND YOU

Grassroots organizations in Boulder, Colorado have taken on the Xcel Power Corporation to turn back the ownership of power generation from the large corporation to a system that is locally owned and that moves power generation from fossil fuels to renewable energy.  In 2011, the citizens of Boulder voted to create their own municipal utility. They even agreed to increase taxes on themselves to pay for the costs. However, the process is far from complete and future local elections and a ballot initiative could change Boulder's momentum in making this transition. This Forbes article paints a bleak picture of the possibility of success.  Currently, over 100 cities across the US are taking a look at moving their utility's ownership from corporate to municipality.

Below is the New Era Colorado video outlining their campaign. Xcel Power is heavily dependent upon coal as its fuel for power generation.  About 11 per cent of Boulder's power is generated from renewables, mostly wind power. The non-profit group recently completed a successful indiegogo campaign to raise funds for further organizing their Campaign for Local Power.   




The City of Tallahassee already is a municipally owned power company.  It gets the majority of its power from natural gas.  While being excited that Tallahassee is the first City in the nation to have all electric buses added to its fleet, the electricity powering the buses still comes from natural gas.  

Where is the City of Tallahassee in moving from dependence on fossil fuels to renewables? What regulations impede things like establishing solar gardens that would allow small groups of homes or businesses to generate and share electricity through solar collectors? How cumbersome is the permitting process to install a solar array on a home? 

Discussions of solar cooperatives and collectives will be part of this Sunday's World Cafe, hosted by the non-profit Transition Tallahassee.  If these are issues you care about and if you want to learn more about the future of transitioning away from a fossil fuel dependent economy, this community discussion is for you.  Breakout discussions will include:

 * making a local market economy, 
 * building a healthy local food system, 
 * the New Economy and time banking, 
 * fossil fuel divestment and local reinvestment and 
 * solar coops and collectives.

 and it's free!

Sunday, September 8th beginning at 1:30 PMFSU Center for Global Engagement Auditorium "The Globe"
110 S Woodward Avenue, FSU campus, Tallahassee
More information at the Green Calendar and at Transition Tallahassee's website.  

Posted in: Colorado,renewable energy,solar gardens,Transition Tallahassee,World Cafe