Community Renewable Energy is the first webinar in the new SELC series for planners, policymakers, and sharing economy change makers. Each installment targets a different segment of the sharing economy, highlighting model city policies and initiatives that help create more sustainable, collaborative, just and democratic communities. Upcoming webinars will address Transportation, Housing, Food & Ag, Governance & Democracy, and Community Enterprise
- Local Rules – John Farrell, Senior Researcher, Institute for Local Self Reliance
- Legal Landscape – Linda Barrera, Environmental Attorney, Solar Advocate
- Application – Heather Bailey, Executive Director of Energy Strategy & Electric Utility Development, City of Boulder, CO
Presenters:
Local Rules – John Farrell, Senior Researcher, Institute for Local Self Reliance
Legal Landscape – Linda Barrera, Environmental Attorney, Solar Advocate
Linda Barrera will describe the legal landscape — barriers and opportunities — for community renewable energy projects, and the interplay of federal, state, and local policy spaces.
Linda is a passionate advocate for solar power. She has navigated the realm of environmental law and policy and utilities regulations through her past work as an attorney for the California Public Utilities Commission. She has installed solar power systems in Nicaragua and Northern California. Linda currently works as an attorney with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and volunteers with the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC).
Application – Heather Bailey, Executive Director of Energy Strategy & Electric Utility Development, City of Boulder, CO
Heather will tell the story of Boulder and why the City is considering municipalization; how municipalization can promote community renewable energy; and the challenges, successes and lessons learned.
Ms. Bailey was hired to help manage Boulder’s Energy Future project by providing direction in the creation of both short- and long-term energy strategies by leading the city’s municipalization exploration project. She has over 30 years of utility operations, finance, accounting, and auditing experience as a regulator, utility executive, and consultant for transmission, financial, regulatory, and strategic issues in the utility industry.
