Rock Port, Missouri, population 1300, has become the first community in the country with more wind power that it can use.
Small-town Missouri may seem like an unlikely place for a fully energy-independent community, but Rock Port native Eric Chamberlain came up with the idea after seeing a wind farm in Iowa and eventually convinced tractor company John Deere to invest. There are twenty-four wind turbines in and around Rock Port, four of which power the town.
"As Chamberlain looks at the turbines today, he says, 'Did I ever think this would happen? Naw, not in a million years. ... This is beyond my imagination.'"
Already, locals have seen the effect that wind power has had in shielding them from rising energy prices. Rock Port's population has been in decline for decades, but residents are optimistic that the turbines will generate excitement about the town as well as generate electricity.
Thanks to Franny Ritchie
FULL STORY: Missouri Town is Running on Vapor - and Thriving
New Renewable Energy Has Yet to Displace Dirty Energy
Falling costs for renewable energy may lead some to believe that coal and other mainstays have been replaced, but they haven't. Adoption of renewables is not yet outpacing growth in demand for energy.
A Major Step Toward An Ambitious Energy Goal
The City of Austin is set to take in a record amount of solar power to advance towards a goal of deriving 30% of local energy from renewable sources by 2020.
Building a Cleaner Future: Financing the Coal-to-Clean Transition
The Coal-to-Clean Initiative is an effort to fund the early retirement of coal plants in emerging markets, urging public-private collaboration to achieve a just energy transition that limits global warming and supports sustainable growth.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie