Community-Driven Energy Solutions

Fostering local energy literacy and leadership

Community Driven Energy Workshops

“This series of meetings gave me something more important than the prize we were working for: a sense of hope for my community for the future, no matter what it brings.” - SOLVE IT participant

Since September, we’ve been co-hosting a workshop series supported through the Solutions for Lasting, Viable Energy Infrastructure Technologies (SOLVE IT) Prize. Last week, we held the final event with residents of Norway, Otisfield, and West Paris. We focused on community-driven energy solutions combined with listening sessions to foster initial ideas, cultivate energy literacy, and build local leadership towards energy resilience in our communities.

A Climate to Thrive (ACTT) and CEBE began developing this workshop series following the prize award from the Department of Energy. Our proposal was chosen as one of only 28 to be funded out of more than 1,000 applicants. ACTT developed content for the workshops including presentations, an energy literacy packet and interactive community game, joining us in Norway for each of the sessions.

Based on the ideas generated by community members, we are finalizing an application for the next phase of the prize. Residents of each town highlighted interest in a community resilience hub. If funded, the next phase would include developing detailed plans for a resilience hub powered by a microgrid renewable energy system. This would act as a community focal point for information, education and connection, but also serve as an emergency response location with backup power during extreme weather events. The next phase would continue to include community engagement and would delve further into what these prospective projects might look like, taking learning from existing resilience hubs around the country.