Hello friends,
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer! Like so many things around us in this season, our co-operative is growing. We are almost at 100 member-owners! This is a big milestone and shows that all around Northeast Ohio people are energized about community-owned solar and energy democracy. We know that we cannot wait for our current centralized, for-profit energy system to provide the solutions our communities need.
Our growth happens against the backdrop of unprecedented attacks from the federal government on clean energy development. This pullback of resources will result in fewer jobs, worse air quality and higher energy bills for working families. No surprise that the people who benefit are wealthy fossil-fuel interests and investor-owned utilities like FirstEnergy.
Like water after a summer storm, the movement for Energy Democracy is finding new pathways forward. All across the country, people and communities are pivoting and fighting back. Here in Cleveland, a group called Our CPP made up of ratepayers, activists, and residents are standing up for Cleveland Public Power. Unlike FirstEnergy, Cleveland Public Power is owned by the people of Cleveland and operates for their benefit. CPP has faced decades of disinvestment but still is an incredible asset for our region and can be a model for how we fight back against the climate crisis! Last Tuesday, Our CPP announced they have a policy platform to get us there. They envision a CPP that is reliable, affordable, community-led and clean and green. Check out the rally here and read the policy platform here and the fact sheet here.
If you believe in the power publicly-owned utilities and want to see a CPP that is thriving - sign onto the platform here!
Residents, Activists, CSC member-owners, Friends of Our Co-op and Ratepayers rally in front of Cleveland City Hall
To build our way out of the current system and into a world we want to see, we have to educate ourselves. Our first round of Solar School, a six-week course on community-owned solar development, is graduating it's first cohort. Read more about that below and the other events going in the co-op world here in Cleveland!
Movie Night - Dark Money Game!
Earlier this year, HBO premiered a documentary series called Dark Money Game and the first episode is about the HB 6 bribery scandal, the largest in Ohio history. We'll be joining with Our CPP to host a joint screening of the film at the Lakewood Bottlehouse on Wednesday August 6th at 6pm.
We will also be discussing ways to get involved to shift our energy system and stop investor-owned utilities like FirstEnergy from using our money to enrich themselves and bribe public officials!
RSVP here!
Location: The BottleHouse Brewery and Mead Hall
13368 Madison Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107
Date: Wednesday 8/6
Time: 6-9pm
Solar School Update
Our first cohort of Solar School has concluded and the last class was on Tuesday 7/22! We had over two dozen people participate and we were hosted at New Era Cleveland's Love Project Movement Community Clubhouse on Buckeye. I am incredibly thankful for member-owner Ayat Amin scheming up this idea and the chance to co-create this course with her. I am also immensely grateful to everyone who participated in the course. Every participant brought their own experience and together, we learned the politics of solar in Ohio, why community-ownership is so critical for a true Just Transition, where are the best places to put solar and how to finance our array so we can keep returning benefits to our communities.
Ayat Amin leading an enthralled class
As many people in our cooperative know, it takes a little longer than six weeks to develop a solar array! To keep the ball rolling, we are hosting a Solar School Mixer on Tuesday 8/19 at 6:30pm. If you were not part of Solar School this round, come drop in and learn about the projects we're working on!
RSVP here!
Solar School was also part of a larger education push we are doing at Cleveland Owns. When we look back at the history of cooperation, the first step is education. Popular education is a powerful tool to raise awareness and give working people the tools we need to fight back and build a better world. Read more about all our courses this spring and summer here!
Also thank you to St. Luke's Foundation for their generous support of Solar School!
July Co-op Circle
Co-op Circles is an every other month convening of local cooperators, co-ops, and the co-op curious to get to know and learn from each other. On July 31st, Cleveland Owns and Co-op Circles are hosting a non-partisan candidate forum with candidates for Cleveland City Council on all things related to how the city of Cleveland sets policy that impacts economic life - and what candidates for council will do to impact it.
These policies impact how businesses large and small, cooperatively and traditionally owned operate in the city; what workers get paid; and the moral priorities our city chooses to reflect in its budget. In other words, these are topics that impact day-to-day life in Cleveland, and certainly impact the people who make up Co-op Circles. So we hope you'll join us for this important forum.
RSVP here!
Cleveland Owns' Summer Co-op-A-Cue!
Cleveland Owns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (my employer! - Craig) and incubator of Cleveland Solar Cooperative. Cleveland Owns works to help neighbors and workers start cooperatives and leads campaigns for community control of resources - they call that work Economic Democracy.
To celebrate six years cookin' up economic democracy they are throwing a co-op-a-cue AKA cooperative barbecue!They'll share some big updates, announce 2025's Cleveland Owns Cooperator of the Year, have games, dancing, and yummy BBQ with plenty of vegan options. Latecomers and early-goers welcome!!
- 12-1pm - Trickle in and Food & Games begin
- 1-2:30pm - Come together to share important updates & celebrate economic democracy wins
- 2:30-6pm - The fun continues!
Last year was the start to Cleveland Owns' fundraising campaign and they absolutely smashed our goal thanks to you all! Cleveland Owns wants to accelerate our shared struggle for economic democracy. This year, they're asking our communities' to deepen their support and help them to raise $1,500 in monthly recurring donations.
If you believe in the power of collective ownership to build community wealth and power, Cleveland Owns asks that you become a Sustaining Supporter of Cleveland Owns. Your monthly recurring donation will help keep economic democracy cooking!
RSVP here!
Switch Together
While our cooperative does not work on residential, there are many people who are interested in getting solar panels on their homes. This is another great way to save money, lower emissions, and own our power! HR1, the tragically named "One Big Beautiful Bill" is eliminating the tax credit for homeowners to put solar on their homes at the end of 2025.
Our friends at Solar United Neighbors have put together a great explainer on what these tax credits mean for residents. They are also facilitating a purchasing cooperative with Cuyahoga county to go solar - check out Switch Together here!
Solidarity,
– Craig, your Energy Democracy Organizer
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