Community Energy Planning

From municipal action plans to building decarbonization roadmaps.

Many cities and communities have adopted ambitious goals to reduce their energy and carbon emissions. Yet, not all communities have the same resources to tackle the complex issues of reducing overall energy consumption.

Slipstream supports communities of all sizes—including school districts, cities, states, and Native Nations—in comprehensive energy planning by:

Conducting feasibility studies so governments can better understand their energy usage and set achievable goals.
Identifying cost-effective strategies for energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, building decarbonization, and carbon reduction.
Fleet decarbonization planning that identifies fleet inventory and EV infrastructure planning.
Offering technical support, education and training, community outreach, and other resources to put our recommendations into practice.
Designing cost-effective microgrids for communities and neighborhoods.
Connecting stakeholders with opportunities to access programs and funding that turns plans into action.

 

Slipstream's expertise bridges vision and action, helping municipalities chart a clear roadmap toward lower emissions, resilient infrastructure, and healthier, more equitable places to live.

Featured Work on Community Energy Planning

Forest Edge Elementary

Four school districts in Dane County partnered with Slipstream to collaborate on a joint energy planning project.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

We contributed to a market baseline study as part of the first energy potential study in Puerto Rico.

Webinars

Introduction to Community Energy Planning (October 2024)

Collaborative energy planning: how small municipalities can benefit from working together (June 2021)

June 6, 2025

Feasible meets practical: Designing a cost-effective microgrid in Altoona, Wisconsin

In a new construction project on the east side of Altoona, Wisconsin, residents will soon likely experience the financial and environmental potential of microgrids.
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April 8, 2025

How well do cities include the community in their action plans?

Laura Helmke-Long recently published an article in Climate Policy; we spoke with her about her broader research, and the ways nonprofits can help cities build their capacity to engage with communities.
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April 25, 2024

A collaborative energy plan for Dane County schools

To help with their sustainability goals, four school districts in Dane County partnered with Slipstream to collaborate on a joint energy planning project.
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April 11, 2024

Pathways to residential electrification in Indigenous communities

Slipstream will develop a case study to demonstrate cost-effective pathways to electrifying homes with Indigenous communities in Minnesota.
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December 12, 2023

Green Bay gets greener with new clean energy plan

The city and its partners aim to adopt 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050.
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July 14, 2023

A way for cities to see how the IRA can support their climate action plans

Slipstream and our partners developed a methodology for cities to evaluate how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help make their climate goals possible.
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December 12, 2022

Slipstream, IREC to develop energy resilience plan in Castañer, Puerto Rico

The firms will coordinate to assist the local utility in developing tools to restore power faster after extreme weather events.
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July 28, 2022

Microgrids can be a building block to more resilient communities

Microgrids can help cities achieve their clean energy goals while maintaining essential services in a crisis—but only if a city fully understands the needs of its residents.
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