124. How Rural Communities Can Benefit from the Energy Transition

Economic development can be a challenge for leaders in rural communities. Often, it’s hard to attract businesses to rural areas because the local workforce may not have the skills or numbers to meet companies’ needs. But opportunities that haven’t been widely available in the past exist today for rural communities due to the energy transition that is sweeping the nation. “The potential for rural communities is really enormous,” L. Michelle Moore, CEO of Groundswell (a nonprofit that builds community power by connecting solar and energy efficiency with economic development, affordability, and quality of life) and author of the book Rural Renaissance: Revitalizing America’s Hometowns through Clean Power, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. For example, Moore explained that nearly $10 billion is available to rural electric cooperative utilities through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to build clean energy projects. She also noted how rural communities can benefit from electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, and from credits designed to encourage installation of EV chargers in rural areas. There are also great incentives for energy efficiency improvements, such as for adding insulation to homes or installing more efficient heating and cooling systems. “The opportunities for rural America are really, really myriad,” Moore said. “And, you know what, you can’t offshore construction jobs. So, implementing both energy efficiency [improvements]—whether it’s insulation in the attic or the air conditioning system—those are all activities that are going to keep local people at work.” Moore is a strong supporter of rural electric cooperatives and believes they have a large role to play in economic development in rural communities. “So many people don’t know or have never experienced the tremendous power and potential of rural electric cooperatives,” she said. “The people who buy their electricity from rural electric cooperative utilities actually own the utility, and they also participate directly in its governance.