This case study recounts and analyzes the 2023 ballot initiative campaign for Maine to take ownership of the two investor-owned utilities in the state and create a new publicly-owned utility called Pine Tree Power. Along the way, the Our Power campaign integrated research throughout their campaign to evaluate their power-building strategy. While the referendum lost at the ballot, Our Power draw out a number of insights from their campaign for energy democracy, including:

15 % think utilities bills are the "most unfair" part of their budget. 41% think climate change and environmental issues are "some of the most urgent crises facing out country a should be addressed now", while only 16% think "environmental concerns have been exaggerated and should not be a priority".

Rising summer temperatures and energy bills are putting increased pressure on low-income households in Oregon and Washington, despite the region’s relatively low electricity rates. At the same time, federal energy assistance, efficiency programs, and climate protections are being rolled back—shifting costs and responsibilities to state and local governments. The report urges states to take immediate action through planning, budgeting, and innovation to protect the health and well-being of vulnerable communities.

The newly released report titled “Utility Bills Are Rising” Q2 2025 Update: Skyrocketing Utility Bills Amidst Scorching Summer Heat includes analysis that shows in Q2 2025, utilities requested or received approval for over $9 billion in rate increases, including approximately $7.3 billion in new requests and $1.7 billion in approved rate increases.

The Public Power Handbook is a guide for communities exploring models of publicly owned power, such as a municipal electric utility, as a path toward local control, clean and affordable energy investment, and democratic accountability.

The United States is one of the largest energy consumers per capita, requiring households to have adequate energy expenditures to keep up with modern demand regardless of financial cost. This paper investigates energy burden, defined as the ratio of household energy expenditures to household income.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls - including new polling on utility costs, Trump’s handling of energy costs and other energy and environmental issues, climate change impacts, and federal funding cuts.

Most Americans say that their energy bills are higher now than they were a year ago, and there is widespread confusion and dissatisfaction around utilities. Utility bills remain a major cost of living concern, as three in five Americans (62%) say that their electrical and/or gas bill has increased compared to a year ago. Further, around three-quarters (73%) are concerned that their electrical and/or gas bill will increase this year. Most Americans are familiar with their local utilities, but few know much about how their utility sources its energy or how it’s regulated. Around seven in ten (69%) say that they’re at least “somewhat” familiar with their local power and/or gas utilities, though only around half (47%) are at least “somewhat” familiar with how their local utilities source their energy. Just 12% say that they’re “very” familiar with the energy sources that their utility uses. Additionally, less than half of Americans (39%) are familiar with the state or local regulatory agency that oversees their local power or gas utilities.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit (25C) and the Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit (25D) can wipe out past and future energy price inflation. In 2023 alone, these tax credits helped more than 3.4 million American households — across every state — invest in energy efficiency upgrades like insulation, water heaters, and HVAC equipment, and in geothermal, solar, and battery installations. New analysis from Rewiring America shows that by installing technologies supported by 25C and 25D, American households could effectively roll back the clock on their energy costs. Just using one of those tax breaks could help a household pay the equivalent of 2020 prices today. These savings would only continue into the future, protecting families against price increases. Without efficiency upgrades, the average American household is paying $3,080 per year for energy — 32 percent more than in 2020. But the average home that leverages 25C can cut up to $990 from their annual energy costs, completely wiping out the last four years of energy price spikes. The average home that leverages both 25C and 25D can cut their annual energy bills by more than 70 percent, or $2,240 per year.

Since 2018, the Climate Advocacy Lab has distributed Climate Justice Microgrants to 25 environmental justice and climate justice organizations around the United States who are doing powerful work to protect and improve their communities.