About Just Build It
The Energy Democracy Alliance Community Owned Shared Renewables Working Group called Just Build It.
Just Build It is an NYEDA member network of organizations and individuals who are working to advance locally controlled, community-based and shared renewable energy projects across New York State. The Alliance convened Just Build It as a space for its members to learn from and support one another as they endeavor to achieve their project goals and collectively create an new energy paradigm for New York State that is diverse, carbon-free and democratic.
What does Just Build It do?
Just Build It is a community. Together we promote the exchange of ideas, best practices, lessons learned, cautionary tales and other knowledge-based resources that relate to the various practical aspects of planning and realizing community and shared renewable projects. We advocate for policies and regulations that support community ownership and development of shared solar projects that broaden access to this resource
Disseminate & Discuss CSS info
Best practices, case studies, development support , Lessons learned & Cautionary tales
Participate in other CSS spaces: e.g. National Community
Collaborate and Partner
With key stakeholders, agencies, and organizations.
Advocate for policies and regulations
to support community ownership or control of CSS projects that broaden access to solar.
Community Solar Workshops
Just Build It’S MID HUDSON COMMUNITY SOLAR WORKSHOP
More than 50 local government officials, community leaders, solar professionals, and others interested in bringing shared solar to their communities gathered at RUPCO’s offices in Kingston. See the presentations below, and watch this space for a video recording of the event coming soon!
Videos
Principles
- New York State should transition quickly and equitably to 100% clean, renewable, fossil-free, nuclear-free energy in order to address climate change, build resilient communities and create economic opportunities.
- The key pillars of our energy future should be energy efficiency, conservation, climate resilience, and public or community owned or controlled renewable energy assets.
- The clean energy economy should eliminate environmental, racial and economic injustice and energy insecurity by targeting the benefits of state-funded energy efficiency and distributed renewable energy development to communities confronting those injustices.
- Every New Yorker should receive the health, economic, and environmental benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency, regardless of home-ownership status, location, race, wealth, or income.
- State energy policy should revolve around New Yorkers as energy savers, producers, educators, innovators, owners/investors and, most importantly, decision-makers, not just as “customers.”
- All institutions that make decisions for the public around energy or energy market development should create mechanisms to ensure widespread and meaningful participation in democratic decision-making, transparency, and public accountability.
- Public funding should prioritize high quality job creation, with clear career pathways for local people often left out of economic opportunities, including people of color, youth, women, formerly incarcerated individuals, refugees, immigrants, veterans, long-term unemployed and members of frontline climate-vulnerable communities.
- State energy policy should support the growth and development of democratically controlled institutions such as municipal utilities and cooperative businesses to serve as anchors within their local communities.
