Episode 31: Unmasking the Villain - How Utilities Act as Gatekeepers to Clean Energy with John Farrell

John Farrell, the co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, gave us a breakdown of the history of utilities and how they are structured in this episode of The Just Solutions Podcast. We cover investor-owned utilities, the problem of monopolies, and how excessive utility profit rates are keeping bills high. Towards the end, we get into what we can do about this: how can we build power for models where energy is community-owned and developed? John directs the Energy Democracy Initiative at ILSR. He’s known as the “guru of distributed energy,” receiving accolades for his vivid illustrations of the economic and environmental benefits of local ownership of decentralized renewable energy. John also hosts his own podcast, “Local Energy Rules”, discussing monopoly power, energy democracy, and how communities can take charge to transform the energy system. Join us for this deep dive on the business of utilities, and listen to some of our other episodes on the subject listed below!