Topic: Business & Finance

a suburban neighborhood view from the sky

Event Recap: ‘Getting to Zero: Trends in the Built Environment’

The Oakland EcoBlock team recently participated in a panel discussion at the 2022 Diversity in Tech Symposium. EcoBlock’s Eunice Chung provides a recap of the discussion, which considered decarbonization in the built environment through the lenses of business, policy, and research.

a residential neighborhood viewed from the sky

Event Recap: ‘The Future is Local: Exploring the Future of Energy Through Grassroots Advanced Energy Communities’

On Monday, November 8, the Oakland EcoBlock team participated in a panel discussion at the 2021 Virtual Behavior, Energy, and Climate Change (BECC) Conference. The event centered on the development of two Advanced Energy Communities (AECs)—the Oakland EcoBlock and Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community (BAAEC)—and highlighted each project’s approach to accelerating the transition to community-scale clean energy.

A sign that says "This House is Solarizing"

Solarize: the Grassroots Initiative that Cut Solar Costs up to 35%

In 2009, a forward-thinking campaign in Portland, Oregon sought to speed up the transition towards clean energy by streamlining the installation process and reducing costs. The grassroots Solarize movement was able to foster a community invested in solar energy that could achieve cost savings through bulk purchasing. Read on to learn more about the innovative program and other more recent Solarize campaigns across the United States.

tariffs banner

What is a Microgrid Tariff?

Microgrids have many benefits, but the value of microgrid services is not well-defined in the market and represents a critical barrier to future economic growth. Andrew Rasetti highlights novel rates and tariff structures to address these barriers for microgrids.