Hello friends!
I hope you have a fun costume picked out for the holiday this weekend! This spooky season has only been more frightening with the attacks on clean energy. Many of us have seen headlines of wind projects having their permits abruptly pulled and solar companies having to declare bankruptcy. These are the unfortunate and foreseen consequences of the federal government's decisions.
Regardless of what is happening in Washington DC, people around the country are continuing to fight for our energy future. One group I am continually inspired by, and if you've heard me talk for more than 30 seconds I've also certainly mentioned them, is Cooperative Energy Futures out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are a cooperative, like us, and they were started in 2009. Cooperative Energy Futures started in energy efficiency and group purchasing of solar for residential homeowners. During this time their growth was modest but they built important community connections and relationships. They also came to understand firsthand the challenges faced by individuals trying to make a difference in our energy system.
In 2014, a community solar program was passed in Minnesota. Cooperative Energy Futures pivoted to building community solar gardens - taking advantage of this policy to build eight solar garden projects around the Twin Cities and engage over 700 subscribers. Cooperative Energy Futures built themselves a seat at the table and have used that to change their energy system. When the community solar program came up for renewal in 2023, Cooperative Energy Futures part of a coalition that was able to secure key changes to make sure everyone can benefit from community solar. The new bill guarantees at least 30% of each community solar project goes to Low- and Moderate-Income households.
With their increased scale, they've been able to expand into solar serving tenants of affordable housing, and experiment with community-ownership of geothermal energy systems. This is in addition to many more community solar projects connected to the grid - many coming online this year and the next!
Cooperative Energy Futures staff, community members, and stakeholders at their 1084kW project on Eden Prairie Community Center (source from CEF's Linkedin)
As we continue to move forward with our first project at Lakeside Bible Church, we are lucky to be able to look to Cooperative Energy Futures as an example of how community-ownership can build the necessary power, figuratively and literally, to change our energy system.
Whether it is in Minneapolis, Cleveland, Puerto Rico, or Hawaii communities can and are coming together to pool their capital, their knowledge and their voices to build the world we want to live in!
Check out more about the fight for Community Energy in Ohio and upcoming events below.
HB 303 Report Back
As we've seen in Minnesota, policies like community solar can be an accelerator for community-ownership, good jobs, and energy savings in a time of rapidly increasing electricity costs. On October 1st, our cooperative was a key voice in the proponent testimony for HB 303, a bill that would create a community energy pilot program here in Ohio. Member-owners and friends of the co-op made up 19 of the 50 testimonies!
I also had the opportunity to drive down to our state's capitol and give in-person testimony. It was a great to see the diverse groups that want to see community energy become reality in Ohio - from faith leaders, environmental activists, union workers, farmers, and even Wal-Mart!
Energy Democracy Organizer Craig Ickler speaking in favor of HB 303 and somehow this is the least goofy screencap he could find of himself
As this bill moves forward, we will continue to keep you all in the loop and share opportunities to make sure that policy makers know how important this is for all of Ohio!
You can watch the full committee hear here (I come on at 1:04:30 and Friend-of-the-Co-op Mryia Williams comes on at 59:00)
Upcoming Events
11/1 Our CPP House Party!
Learn more about the work of our friends at Our CPP and how we can reform our municipal utility Cleveland Public Power! RSVP here.
Date: November 1, 2025
Time: 12-2:30 PM
Location: CPL, Fleet Branch - 7224 Broadway Ave, Cleveland, OH 44105
11/10 Office Hours + Solar School Mixer
For November, we're joining with my colleague at Cleveland Owns Housing Organizer Prerna Agarwal for Office Hours/Our Second Solar School Mixer. Come chat with your fellow member-owners and learn more about the projects that are blossoming from Solar School. Also meet other cooperators from our other Cleveland Owns projects! RSVP here.
Date: November 10th, 2025
Time: 6-8 PM
Location: Cleveland Owns HQ - 4241 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland, OH (Hybrid option available!)
Craig and Prerna scheming about community-ownership at the Co-op-a-cue in August.
11/15 Know Your Bil!
Join Our CPP and Cleveland Solar Cooperative to learn how to read your electric bill, why energy is getting more expensive, and how we can work together to change how our energy system works through public & community-ownership!
You can bring your energy bills so we can discuss what you're actually paying for!
RSVP here!
Date: Saturday November 15th, 2025
Time: 2-4pm
Location: Fredrick Douglass Recreation Center -15401 Miles Ave, Cleveland, OH 44128
Solidarity,
– Craig, your Energy Democracy Organizer
|
