Bi-Weekly Newsletter
2016
June 30 - Dear Xcel: #TakeTheCape
June 17 - TUESDAY: Action for Energy Equity #SolarSolstice
June 9 - Solar Solstice Action for Energy Access!
May 11 - Public Hearings on Low-Income Access to Solar / #BREAKFREE2016
April 21 - Renters in the News! / Local Environmental Justice
April 6 - Honoring Kirk Washington, Jr / Today's Energy News & Events
March 24 - Clean Energy Partnership Praise / Renters' Wins in Court Case
March 8 - City & Utility Commit to Energy Access + Community Solar Update!
February 18 - SUNDAY: Equity in Energy Roundtable with Xcel
January 29 - ACTION ALERT: Garbage Incineration & Upcoming Energy Conversations
January 12 - Community Solar Update & Meeting with Mayor Hodges
2015
December 15 - Community Power Comments on Budget Hearing & Renters' Rights
November 25 - #XcelSlowWalk Update & UN Climate Talks March
November 9 - ACTION ALERT: #XcelSlowWalk - TODAY
October 29 - New Video Series & Minneapolis Energy Challenge Launch
October 6 - Xcel Adds Clean Energy Partnership Commitments / TONIGHT: Solar Q&A!
September 23 - South Mpls Renter Organizing, & Upcoming Event w/ Jacob Frey
September 10 - Minneapolis won't be silenced in Xcel's business plan
August 27 - Tenants Take A Stand for Affordable, Efficient Living Spaces
August 13 - Comment Now To Keep Xcel Accountable!
July 9 - There's a Powerful Conversation just down the street! July 16th
JUNE 30th
#SOLARSOLSTICE
#EnergyEquity #WWXcelDo #TakeTheCape
**cape one cape two**
Take a look at the #SolarSolstice demonstration through pictures
Action steps below!
On the summer solstice, Community Power, coalition partners, and community members gathered again at Xcel Energy headquarters, seven months after the Xcel Slow Walk demonstration - this time to celebrate the approval of 350+ community solar gardens in Minnesota (up from a mere 5 in November). A essential piece is missing from the community solar story, however: access. Through colorful street theatre, those gathered asked Xcel to use its influence to eliminate barriers to solar for low-income Minnesotans, who stand to benefit most from the energy & cost savings of solar & efficiency services. Learn more about who holds the bar to solar.
- Support Energy Equity in Minnesota! -
SIGN the Energy Equity petition
CALL Xcel Energy and ask them to push for Energy Equity
- Would you like to see all Minnesotans access community solar, get home energy efficiency improvements with no up-front cost or credit requirements? Call Xcel Energy or sign the Energy Equity petition to ask Xcel to offer On-Bill Repayment options as a financing tool.
- Would you like to see the clean energy economy grow in a way that closes Minnesota’s highest in the nation racial employment gap? Sign the Energy Equity petition so we can get support for multipurpose renewable energy job training facilities that are accessible to communities that would benefit most.
- Would you like to make sure solar subscribers are paid fairly for the energy their solar gardens produce? Call Xcel and tell the company to retract its recommendation to gut fair pay for solar.
- Would you like to incentivize Minnesotans to save energy, while also ensuring rates stay affordable for low-income customers? Call Xcel or sign onto the Energy Equity petition and ask them to support Inclining Block Rates.
HUGE thank you to incredible community members & coalition partners MN350, MNIPL, MPIRG, Young People's Action Coaltion, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, North American Water Office, VoteClimate, Northfield Area Community Solar, CTUL for their support & creativity.
UPDATE: Report on Public Hearings for Low-Income Access to Community Solar
released by Public Utilities Commission
From the PUC staff's Summary of the Public Testimony: "The public hearings drew together a very diverse set of stakeholders – in terms of race, education and socio-economic status...the suggestions they made for further Commission inquiries, were remarkably uniform." Momentum continues to build thanks to a quickly growing understanding that access and energy equity are crucial - both in order to close widening racial and economic inequality and in order to scale up renewables at the rate we need to combat climate change. Speakers at the hearing suggested regulatory solutions such as a back-up subscriber model, as well as the four asks on our energy equity petition.
Next steps at the PUC: Briefing papers posted July 12th, Oral arguments July 18th, Final Decisions July 21st. Stay tuned!
**ACTION STATION
Connect with Community Power!
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