Empowered: A tale of three cities taking charge of their energy future

Energy in America is undergoing a period of rapid change, driven by new technologies, consumer empowerment, and the imperative to reduce emissions that cause global warming.

But people who want to save energy or install solar panels are finding their efforts are at odds with utilities seeking to preserve their profits. Seeing an existential threat to their business model, utilities across the country are pursuing policy changes that will make it less viable for customers to generate their own electricity.

Impatient with the slow pace of change at the state level, an increasing number of cities — such as Boulder, Minneapolis and Madison — are taking matters into their own hands as their citizens seek energy that is local, affordable, and clean.

Empowered describes how city officials and activists in Boulder, Minneapolis, and Madison are fighting back against entrenched utilities, and taking charge of their energy future.