By Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher

Energy Democracy is truly a 21st century idea.  It has the potential to democratize the way we produce and consume energy.  And it has the potential to bring everyone into a clean energy future. 

Just Imagine the possibilities.  Imagine all of us acting as producers, planners, and decision-makers on how to create and use local and renewable energy.  By making our energy solutions more democratic, we can make places environmentally healthier, strengthen local economies, and help stem the tide of climate change – all at once.

It is possible.

But Energy Democracy will only work if we make the right policy investments to ensure that everyone can participate in our clean energy future.  While some folks are taking the lead in developing local, renewable energy projects, the movement to adopt and scale up these projects is operating with too little support, particularly in …

Rufus Stokes (image via Wikipedia)

by Anthony Giancatarino
Researcher

February is Black History Month – the country’s way of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of African Americans that have made America more cultural rich, more prosperous and more democratic.

This month, let’s also remember the role that African Americans played in improving the way we use and create energy.

Lewis Howard Latimore improved the production of carbon filaments to create a much more stable and reliable light bulb in the 1880s. David Crosthwait laid the groundwork in the 1920s and 30s for efficiently heating large buildings by creating a better boiler and thermostat control for heat pumps. Because of Crosthwait’s innovative work, Radio City Music Hall was known for years for its heating efficiency. In the 1960s, Rufus Stokes helped lay the groundwork for reducing gas and ash emissions from power plants, helping to protect the air and …