We were thrilled to have Gibson Tawago, a trailblazer for a sustainable business idea that is much needed for our world, visit us in the Twin Cities from Tanzania in August of 2024. He is the founder and CEO of WAGA, which provides a clean and affordable energy solution to low-income rural communities in Tanzania. Gibson met with both Community Power and our partner organization, Cooperative Energy Futures as part of a fellowship. Community Power matched the spirit of his work with decentralized renewable energy solutions while CEF's commitment to sustainability and affordability at the same time also provided a good match for the fellowship. For the previous few months, he was participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship, to study about Leadership in Business at the University of Nevada in Reno. Gibson did not initially go to business school. But he came up with his idea organically of repurposing recycled laptop batteries into portable power packs equipped with solar panels first. Then he wanted to acquire advanced skills and knowledge in sustainable energy solutions, socially responsible entrepreneurship, financial management, and innovative business strategies.

(Gibson standing at the Cooperative Energy Futures community solar array in downtown Minneapolis

Click image above to watch a video of Gibson being interviewed at the site)

The story started around 2010 when mobile phones started to become more commonplace in sub-Saharan Africa. In the following few years, I-Phones that were much more user friendly for texting and internet replaced flip phones providing a connection with the world. The issue at that time was that charging the phones was a challenge. In numerous places in Tanzania, there is no electric grid infrastructure that we take for granted in almost all corners of the US. Gibson got his start when he used to bike for 32 miles to deliver multiple phones to a charging station that would charge 50 phones at the same time. The people had to limit the usage of their phones and often had to turn them off when not in use to conserve battery.  From this experience, Gibson was determined to develop a solution. He eventually started WAGA in 2022 that provides people in Tanzania access to solar power to both charge mobile phones more frequently as well as for indoor light during nighttime, which helps school children study for example without having to rely upon Kerosene lamps like before.. The product WAGA sells is a solar panel (as in just one solar panel, rather the multipanel solar arrays you’d more commonly see in the US) installed on a roof while the battery pack and the lights are inside a home.

At the July 11th meeting of the Climate and Infrastructure committee of the Minneapolis City Council, Jocelyn Bremmer from the City Attorney’s office gave the basic info that we already knew regarding the City’s Utility Franchise Renegotiations with Xcel and CenterPoint. Understandably, she was not able to reveal any new details of the  ongoing negotiations due to attorney client privilege. We did however get a few good takeaways on record from Ward 7 City Councilmember Katie Cashman, the C & I Committee Chair.

• Chair Cashman asked Bremmer whether utility franchise agreements are also a climate policy document for the city (allowing for revenue generation in support of our city's climate goals) and not just a right-of-way document. Jocelyn Bremmer did affirm “that is the city's position.” Historically, prior to 2013, utility franchise agreements were limited to right-of-way issues like the poles, wires and energy equipment built in city-owned public spaces.
• Chair Cashman concluded the discussion by stating “For me this is really a once in a decade opportunity for us to address the climate crisis and to work together with our utilities to address the climate crisis, aging infrastructure in our city, and prepare ourselves for being resilient to climate impacts like floods, droughts, heat waves and other natural disasters.”

Community Power published in the Star Tribune! 

We are at a crossroads…again.

City leaders must negotiate assertively with Xcel and CenterPoint in July and August or risk failure on urgent climate goals before this key window of opportunity closes.

Community Power staff and board members co-wrote an opinion exchange printed in the Star Tribune June 15th, as a publicized some specific guidance on how to make best use of that opportunity: 

“Minneapolis' once-a-decade chance to fight for energy and the climate”

With only blunt and uncertain clean energy financing tools at the federal and state level… How can we quickly and justly resource Climate Action in Minneapolis? For the last decade, Community Power has been exploring this question with many partners across Minneapolis, the state, and the country.

We are pleased to announce that a newly released report outlines innovative funding mechanisms that could dramatically accelerate the city's transition to clean energy which comes at a time as Minneapolis approaches a critical juncture in its fight against climate change. The report, created by the Institute for Market Transformation exploring these very questions titled "Equitable Funding Mechanisms for Climate Action in Minneapolis," comes at a pivotal moment as the city renegotiates its franchise agreements with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy.

See the full 50-page Report: "Equitable Funding Mechanisms for Climate Action in Minneapolis"

Want just the highlights? Check out the See the 4-page Fact Sheet

It's a deep dive into two specific, hyper-local mechanisms to fund just, climate action based on a "Polluter Pays" model.

IMT's report, developed in partnership with the Just Transition Fund Coalition, proposes leveraging two existing tools - to generate over $110 million annually for climate initiatives. 

These include:

1) Utility Franchise Fees and 

2) The "Pollution Control Annual Registration" Fee (PCAR). 

This funding could help close the vast gap between current climate spending and the estimated $136 million needed each year to weatherize and electrify Minneapolis homes.

By tying fees to the carbon intensity of energy sources, the city could incentivize a rapid transition to renewables while generating substantial funding for climate programs. Similarly, expanding PCAR to cover greenhouse gas emissions could hold large polluters accountable while supporting emissions reduction efforts.

Please dig in, tell your friends, and share!

"Despite the mounting evidence of disparities, funding to address climate change remains insufficient across all scales of government. [...] While the Mayor's 2024 budget proposal significantly accelerated the City's investments in weatherization to $4,744,725, the gap between funding available and the estimated $136.5 million/year needed remains vast. [...] In the context of underfunding, urgent timelines, deeply entrenched racialized inequity, and public incentive apparatuses that often frustrate their purpose, Franchise Fees (FF) and Pollution Control Annual Registration (PCAR) present innovative opportunities for addressing the climate challenge swiftly and in ways that are specific to local context and needs."

- IMT Report: Equitable Funding Mechanisms for Climate Action in Minneapolis, 2024

Artwork and design by IMT along with images from Ntxoo Art. 

Artwork and design by IMT along with images from Ntxoo Art. 

Successful Energy Democracy and Zero Waste outcomes from the 2024 legislative session. Click the link below for a list! 

Community Power has participated as part of the CLEAR coalition lobbying for energy democracy legislation this year. See the press release from CLEAR.

The story was also covered in the Star Tribune: DFL resolves division on permitting and community solar credits in energy legislation Despite late-session negotiations, energy legislation passed without any major upheaval. By Walker Orenstein Star Tribune May 20, 2024