Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy
Pioneering community-owned renewable energy
As if right on cue, the Raleigh News & Observer opinion section posted this on October 27th- Duke Energy NC president: Climate and the case for natural gas. Barely a day prior, I had just posted about the climate change fueled California fires and how we’re all part of the larger explanation- Time to see
Jeff Deal and I spend 3 days up in northern Indiana last week participating in a variety of solar activities at the Center at Donaldson, home to some very inspiring projects of the Poor Handmaids for Jesus Christ. We’ve posted numerous times on their work over the past year plus, so if you wish to
With an enrollment of 550 students, Ancilla College may just have more solar per student than any other college. I haven’t actually verified that because my point isn’t quantitative. Rather, it’s qualitative. It’s about doing what is necessary and what is urgent. DOING. It’s about doing what our youth know that we must and that’s
I was in Mexico Beach last winter and stood in the midst of Hurricane Michael’s lingering devastation– broken glass, shredded trees, leveled houses, piles of debris, “don’t forget us” graffiti, and blue tarp band-aids. One week ago, I monitored the developments of Hurricane Dorian, having planned to be in Miami during its anticipated landfall. Once
As I’ve posted numerous times previously, we’re constantly inspired by what this group, the Poor Handmaids, are doing at the Center at Donaldson. The major renewable energy projects they’ve undertaken in a short period are impressive enough to stand on their own, but I’ve been interested in what makes it all work in a time
(This piece is as submitted to the Raleigh News & Observer and unpublished by it. This is a second version of an AIRE blog piece, with this one offering some numbers to go along with the rhetorical critique offered in the first version.) ————————————– By Steve Owen, Ph.D. and Nancy LaPlaca, J.D. A recent News
This is what progress looks like– vision, purpose, plan and act. The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ have broken ground on their 515kW (more than ½ a megawatt) phase 2 solar at The Center at Donaldson. The provincial and laystaff are showing others the way to move forward on clean energy, cooperation, and climate in
I’ve just read a chapter from a forthcoming book that I think recommends itself as necessary reading for AIRE’s project partners and anyone working toward democratic energy, sustainable communities, and humanity’s common future. I don’t intend this to be a chapter review. Instead, I want to highlight some of the key ideas in it and
AIRE has been a fan of Nancy LaPlaca, J.D., ever since she relocated to North Carolina in 2014. Now, AIRE’s extremely gratified to be working together with her as she brings great energy and passion, as well as deep knowledge and experience of utilities policy into our practice. Nancy has three decades of experience in
Prior to Earth Day this year, I’d thought of writing a critical piece, but just didn’t make the time to follow through. But the voice in my head just wouldn’t let the thought go, whether I was out on the bike, working at the computer, or sweeping the garage. Rebecca Leber’s piece at MotherJones, I’m