The goals of the Cape Light Compact founders were to advance competitive power supply, improve energy efficiency programs locally, and provide consumer advocacy. Today, these three goals have largely stayed at the core of the Compact’s mission, with pursuit of renewable energy and local generation becoming increasingly important.
In its early years the Compact was faced with a messy Massachusetts deregulation process, coupled with uncertainty over the definition of a better energy future for the Cape and Vineyard. The potential for success at meeting targets that addressed energy transition was dependent on how well the Compact’s founders articulated specific goals at the outset. Foresight and strong leadership were required to formulate a long-range strategy for energy management and to create flexibility in the Compact’s internal structure to allow for adaptation to the inherent uncertainties and risks of energy management. Several factors were critical to the Compact’s ability to address Boulder’s 3Ds; democratization, decentralization, decarbonization. These factors are:
- Visioning and open dialogue regarding goals
- Establishing and exercising legal authority, especially in relation to state-level legislation
- Managing price volatility in the energy market
- Balancing the inherent tensions between the conventional energy market and energy transition goals
- Advocating for consumers
- Citing local renewable energy
- Collaborating with other groups
The relevance of these factors to Boulder are covered in the case study.
In its early years the Compact was faced with a messy Massachusetts deregulation process, coupled with uncertainty over the definition of a better energy future for the Cape and Vineyard. The potential for success at meeting targets that addressed energy transition was dependent on how well the Compact’s founders articulated specific goals at the outset. Foresight and strong leadership were required to formulate a long-range strategy for energy management and to create flexibility in the Compact’s internal structure to allow for adaptation to the inherent uncertainties and risks of energy management. Several factors were critical to the Compact’s ability to address Boulder’s 3Ds; democratization, decentralization, decarbonization. These factors are:
- Visioning and open dialogue regarding goals
- Establishing and exercising legal authority, especially in relation to state-level legislation
- Managing price volatility in the energy market
- Balancing the inherent tensions between the conventional energy market and energy transition goals
- Advocating for consumers
- Citing local renewable energy
- Collaborating with other groups
The relevance of these factors to Boulder are covered in the case study.
| clc_final_paper.pdf |
