Renewable Energy Worcester - RENEW

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As we prep for the future of RENEW Worcester, we're looking forward to learning from, uplifting and collaborating with others who are already doing the work. Thanks to Rural Power Now for generously sharing their lived experience with organizing for energy coops.

If you're a rural resident and/or a member of a rural electric cooperative, you're not going to want to miss this free training series starting in January 2026.

As costs of living rise, this training will be focused on organizing effectively at the local scale, to address issues related to energy affordability.

⚡Power by the People⚡
A member-owner training for rural electric co-ops
1/22- Organizing Around Energy Affordability & Resiliency
1/29- Organizing Electric Co-op Members
2/5- Mobilizing People & Applying Popular Pressure
2/12- Building Coalitional Power

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/oht1UcGA8pktfG5j9

Renew Worcester Newsletter|Autumn 2025 - http://eepurl.com/jnyR4M
Check out what we've been up to since our last newsletter and learn about our plans for the future!

Not all heroes wear capes! Not all pollinators are bees 🐝🐝🐝

Solitary bees🐝, bumblebees, hoverflies🪰, butterflies🦋, moths, wasps and even beetles🪲 are all pollinators 👏

Around 4 in 5 crops and wild flowering plants rely on pollinators to transfer pollen and help them reproduce.

But pollinators are in a crisis and you can help change that!

📆On 26 - 28 September 2025 - join the Young Citizens Pollinators Assembly and learn more about the protection of pollinators 👉 https://citizens.ec.europa.eu/young-citizens-assembly-pollinators_en

Today's solar inspo - the school district in Arkansas that reaped the benefits of owning their power. In three years, the district turned a $250k deficit into a $1.8M surplus, which they invested in higher salaries for their teachers. Not only that, the superintendent reports that the solar arrays provide educational opportunities for students of all ages to learn about renewable energy.

In 2017, the Batesville School District in Arkansas faced a $250,000 budget deficit and struggled to retain teachers due to low salaries. To address these challenges, the district conducted an energy audit and implemented energy efficiency measures, including the installation of over 1,400 solar panels across its facilities. These initiatives reduced the district's annual energy consumption by 1.6 million kilowatt-hours, transforming the budget deficit into a $1.8 million surplus over three years. The financial turnaround enabled the district to increase teacher salaries by up to $15,000, making Batesville one of the highest-paying districts in the region. Superintendent Michael Hester highlighted that the solar project not only improved teacher retention and recruitment but also provided educational opportunities for students to learn about renewable energy. This success story has inspired other school districts to explore similar renewable energy solutions to address financial constraints and invest in their educators.