DTE Energy: Anti-democratic and for-profit
In line with the broader conditions of austerity, infrastructure failure, and anti-democratic policies, DTE Energy has consistently leveraged its social, political and economic capital to resist all efforts towards the localised ownership of clean energy. A regular contender for the state’s largest political contributor, DTE uses a combination of campaign contributions and subsidiary lobbying groups to fight legislation supporting renewable energy, especially when it falls outside utility ownership.
The utility’s filings with the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2018 indicate a desire to replace its aging coal fleet with methane gas plants, to reduce payouts to non-utility solar producers, and to use ratepayer money to fund its investments in gas pipelines. Finally, DTE Energy uses strategic philanthropy and its monopoly status to exert power over local governments when advancing infrastructure projects of all sizes and scales.
Despite this regressive and unfriendly environment, there are major opportunities for clean energy in the state. A coalition of cities in southeast Michigan, which includes the Detroit metropolitan area, successfully fought for improvements in LED street lighting rates, and the newest wave of regressive rate increases by DTE Energy creates good conditions for building movements for public and cooperative ownership of power production.
Soulardarity: Building Energy Democracy in Highland Park
Soulardarity’s aim is to build energy democracy in Highland Park and the neighbouring communities through education, organising and the development of energy infrastructure.
Soulardarity is a democratic, community-governed membership organisation. Our nine-member board is member-elected and is required to have a majority of Highland Park members. Not only is this structural form of democracy core to the project, but it is critically bolstered by a culture of member leadership and vision. Any Soulardarity programme or project is developed and driven in response to member needs and priorities. A few of our core programme areas include:
• Highland Park Campaign: Initially focused just on solar street lighting, our Highland Park Campaign team now seeks to make the city a global model for sustainability and democracy. This includes organising for local policy change and developing clean energy. Our proposal to the city government for solar street lighting can be found at www.ourpowerandlight.com. We will soon release a Blueprint for Energy Democracy, a guidebook for action and building political will between the city and its residents.
• PowerUP: A programme to expand equitable access to solar and build economic unity through the bulk purchasing of solar lighting, emergency power and other products. Since 2016, we have deployed $30,000 worth of solar throughout Highland Park and Detroit, and initiated the process of forming a member-owned energy cooperative.
• Energy Education: We conduct ongoing education with the community, movement partners and our membership on a wide variety of topics: from the basics of home energy management and cost savings to the political and economic history of the utility system, and from local to state energy issues.
• Work For Me, DTE!: A campaign to challenge the public authority and legal entitlement of our local investor-owned utility monopoly, DTE Energy, on rate hikes, poor service, racist practices and investment in dirty energy. This campaign includes community organising, movement building and legal intervention with the Public Service Commission.
• Membership & Governance: We practice deep democracy, leadership development, community self-governance and collective determination as critical steps in the success of our overall mission.