Clean Energy Works

Join AESP and Clean Energy Works’ Senior Associate of Building Decarbonization, Kai Palmer-Dunning on March 5th for a webinar, Advancing Energy Affordability and Home Electrification for Everyone with Inclusive Utility Investment.

🔗 bit.ly/4aJXWFK

Virtual power plants (VPPs) can be the key to unlocking the speed and flexibility needed to meet the load growth from data centers, but they must be paired with solutions that advance the affordability of enrollable devices.

Connect with us to learn more: www.cleanenergyworks.org/connect/

Clean Energy Works’ Deputy Director of Strategic Impact Max Toth, attended the NARUC 2026 Winter Policy Summit. A recurring topic was the rapid deployment of data centers and how they’re increasing demand and shifting the energy landscape.

Not subscribed? Sign up here: www.cleanenergyworks.org/connect/

We recently shared our 2025 year in review! This newsletter highlights notable progress from states leading the charge on inclusive utility investment, celebrates the accomplishments of our partners, and shares must-see content from Clean Energy Works.

🔗 www.cleanenergyworks.org/2026/02/19/2...

42 Million People Can Use this Toolkit to Lower Electric Bills — Episode 263 of Local Energy Rules | Energy Democracy Rural electric co-op members should use this new toolkit to swap coal debt for clean, affordable energy.

Last week, Aaron Fernando (Shareable), Kyle Crider (The People’s Justice Council), and Chris Woolery (Mountain Association) talked to John Farrell on Local Energy Rules.

Listen to the full episode: ilsr.org/article/ener...

Access to the toolkit: www.ruralpower.us/toolkit

Connect with Clean Energy Works Deputy Director of Strategic Impact, Max Toth, at NARUC Winter Policy Summit next week. How can utilities drive grid flexibility and customer affordability into their grid at the same time. Will you be there? Find Max to find out! #NARUCWINTER26

This past week, I represented @cleanenergyworks.bsky.social at the 2026 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference in Chicago. Here are my 5 takeaways on why we need a shift in how we finance and fight for the energy transition. 🧵

#MES2026 #EnergySky

Camille Minns, our Senior Associate for Building Decarbonization, will be at the Midwest Energy Solutions Conference from January 27th-29th in Chicago. Connect to talk more about the energy landscape and how inclusive financial solutions fit into the clean energy transition.

Opportunity for Organizers: starting Thurs, Jan 22 and running for four consecutive weeks, the Rural Power Coalition will offer a free, four-part training on how to engage with rural electric cooperatives to make progress on energy affordability.

RSVP:
forms.gle/oht1UcGA8pkt...

In our blog, we share about the strategies and resources they created to support community impact: hubs.la/Q03ZcKM70

Together, their projects offer practical tools for mobilizing community power and ensuring inclusive utility investments are led by communities, prioritize local goals, and are informed by vital insights.

These eight Fellows, representing regions from California to North Carolina, began their journey at the start of 2025 and brought deep local knowledge to the work.

Clean Energy Works offers deep thanks to the first fellowship cohort who recently completed their projects on advancing inclusive utility investment awareness in their communities.

Many advocates helped make this latest milestone possible, including The Greenlining Institute, Green for All, Rewiring America, VEIC, and many others.
SCE is expected to finalize its pilot design and open applications within the next 18 months.

Learn more: www.cleanenergyworks.org/2025/12/23/c...

While the current decision applies to one utility, it establishes a policy precedent that could expand statewide. The CPUC’s approval signals that inclusive utility investment is a viable, scalable solution for meeting California’s climate goals while protecting consumers.

The pilot is designed to help households lower energy bills, reduce pollution, and access modern energy technology—without large upfront costs, credit requirements, or homeownership.

SCE will be able to invest directly in clean energy upgrades at approximately 200 customer sites, recovering costs through a site-specific monthly charge that is less than the estimated savings from the upgrades.

In a major step toward making clean energy more affordable and accessible, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has authorized Southern California Edison (SCE) to launch California’s first inclusive utility investment pilot from an electric utility.

Opportunity for Organizers: starting Thurs, Jan 22 and running for four consecutive weeks, the Rural Power Coalition will offer a free, four-part training on how to engage with rural electric cooperatives to make progress on energy affordability.

RSVP:
forms.gle/oht1UcGA8pkt...

Download the report to learn more about the journey toward 100% ESB fleets and recommendations for reaching this outcome.
bit.ly/ESB-roadmap

Electric school buses (ESBs) provide more health and economic benefits than diesel, and as the goal to transition to 100% ESBs nears, it becomes more imperative than ever to continue and expand support and prioritize grid readiness.

WRI's Electric School Bus Initiative recently released a new report: "Roadmap to 100: Electrifying the full US school bus fleet."

Download the toolkit to learn more about the role inclusive utility investment is playing at rural electric cooperatives:
www.cleanenergyworks.org/2025/11/17/r...

The toolkit highlights inclusive utility investment as a solution to overcome pervasive barriers to clean energy upgrades for millions of people, including member-owners in rural areas.

Last week, the Rural Power Coalition released “The Electric Cooperative Organizing Toolkit," a toolkit with resources and recommendations for rural electric cooperatives and their member-owners.

RECs have been some of the earliest adopters of inclusive utility investment, recognizing it as a pathway to increase affordability, access to energy efficiency upgrades, and sustained investment in the clean energy economy.

Read the toolkit to learn more: www.cleanenergyworks.org/2025/11/17/r...

Millions of households, including rural electric cooperative (REC) member-owners, are routinely excluded from accessing energy efficiency upgrades due to factors like income, homeownership status, or credit history.

The toolkit highlights topics from co-op governance to agrivoltaics and securing community benefits plans.

One solution highlighted in the toolkit is inclusive utility investment, a financial mechanism that helps overcome pervasive barriers to clean energy upgrades.

Rural Power Coalition (RPC) has released their Electric Cooperative Organizing Toolkit, a resource for member-owners of electric cooperatives and anyone interested in entry points to improving their local energy system.