ENCORE: Solar Power to the People

2025-12-26

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At this moment, the cheapest way to create electricity is by pointing a solar panel at the sun. That’s good news for the climate. It’s also good news for communities who want to take control of their own electricity generation. In the heart of Brooklyn, UPROSE is helping to build a solar project that will be owned by the community, provide jobs, and help residents bring down their energy costs. In Puerto Rico, where hurricanes have devastated the power grid, community members are building solar microgrids to provide reliable electricity as the utility has pro...

In the heart of Brooklyn, UPROSE is helping to build a solar project that will be owned by the community, provide jobs, and help residents bring down their energy costs. In Puerto Rico, where hurricanes have devastated the power grid, community members are building solar microgrids to provide reliable electricity as the utility has proven they cannot. Meanwhile in conservative rural Virginia, Energy Right is helping farmers and rural communities adopt solar projects, touting a free market message about energy independence and security.

Guests:

Elizabeth Yeampierre, Attorney; Executive Director, UPROSE

Skyler Zunk, CEO and Founder, Energy Right

Arturo Massol-Deyá, Executive Director, Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas

For show notes and related links, visit ClimateOne.org.

Highlights:

00:00 - Intro

4:11 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on the history of UPROSE

10:40 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on Sunset Park Solar

14:31 - Elizabeth Yeampierre on the GRID plan

20:46 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on the Origins of Casa Pueblo

23:43 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on providing solar power to the community

33:04 - Arturo Massol-Deyá on what other communities can learn from Casa Pueblo

38:08 - Skyler Zunk on the importance of reliable energy

47:06 - Skyler Zunk on dealing with resistance to solar projects

50:49 - Skyler Zunk on the Inflation Reduction Act

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