Energy Democracy Bill of Rights
- You have the right to make and sell your own energy–and receive a fair price for it. Renewable Energy, especially sun and wind, are public goods like air or water. Everyone shares a right to use them; no one has the right to monopolize access to them.
- In a democracy, people are citizens first, consumers second. Energy is not just a commodity, but the basis for modern life. Cost is important, but so are benefits to citizens, which go beyond low prices.
- Energy prices must reflect all costs, including those for healthcare and environmental impacts. These costs must be internalized, not passed on to society. In particular, nuclear reactor operators-not the public-must pay the full cost of insurance for catastrophic accidents.
- The risks of energy projects must be borne by those who profit. If profits are private, so should be the risks.
- People have a right to a minimum amount of affordable clean energy services (not merely an amount of energy). But the focus must remain on energy efficiency.
- Communities affected by energy projects have a right of refusal. But with rights come responsibilities. Saying no is not enough. Communities that reject projects must say what they want and how they plan to get it.
- Information on energy projects should be publicly accessible. A Freedom of Information Act for energy is needed. An informed citizenry is essential to democracy.
- Community projects must have priority in policy and in land use planning. They include, but are not limited to grid infrastructure, storage, wind farms, solar arrays on shared private or publicly owned roofs, bioenergy facilities running on local biomass feedback, walkable cities with good bike paths, and efficiency projects.
- Minority opinions must be taken into account; the winner does not take all. Negotiations should be held to seek a consensus, not produce a tyranny of the majority.
- The needs of future generations must be taken into account when undertaking the energy transition.
Source: Morris, Craig and Jungjohann, Arne. Energy Democracy: Germany’s ENERGIEWENDE to Renewables. 2016.