Renew Missouri

Renew Missouri was founded in 2006 to advance renewable energy and energy efficiency in the state of Missouri. In that time, Renew Missouri has advanced legislation, passed statewide ballot initiatives, crafted local ordinances, and represented these interests before state regulators on thousands of cases. We can only do this extensive and far-reaching work thanks to our supporters.

At the state level, Renew Missouri represents renewable interests and energy efficiency interests before the Public Service Commission ("PSC"). The PSC regulates investor-owned utilities like Ameren Missouri and Spire Gas. Whenever those companies want to raise rates or merge with another utility or get their resource plan approved for the next 20-30 years, the PSC has to have the final say. As a part of that process, Renew Missouri's legal team advocates at hearings, pours through thousands of pages of discovery, negotiates with other parties, arguing before the appeals courts, and generally fighting for these interests. Renew Missouri has been instrumental in the way these companies manage their resources and deal with making rates more receptive to customer usage. This has resulted in billions of dollars in investments from these companies. We aren't just fighting with them but instead we professionally work with all parties to reach settlements and agreements that are in the best interests of Missourians. Litigating these matters is only a last resort.

We also work in front of the Missouri Legislature. In 2007, Renew Missouri advocated for true net metering and simple interconnection practices for small solar and wind systems. As a result, the Missouri legislature adopted the "Easy Connection Act," allowing all Missourians to interconnect solar panels and small wind turbines to their utility grid free of charge and to receive full retail credit for any energy put back on the grid. We have also advocated for Property Assessment Clean Energy ("PACE") districts, 3rd party Purchase Power Agreements ("PPA's"), energy efficiency safeguards like the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act ("MEEIA"), community solar, and other protections for renewable energy in Missouri.

In 2008, Renew Missouri helped Missouri become the 27th state to enact a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) and only the 3rd state to pass an RES through the ballot initiative process. The RES requires Missouri's largest utilities to get 15% of their energy from renewables by 2021, with 2% of that energy coming from solar. The RES also includes a $2 per watt solar rebate program, which has proven to be a huge success.

We work in county and city offices all over the state on issues like energy efficiency programs, greater access to solar, and general ordinances that promote our values. We also listen to our supporters about their ideas and work to make them successful policies.

Renew Missouri's approach to advancing policy is to bring stakeholders for energy issues together to educate & facilitate productive dialogue. We educate legislators and other policy makers while also promoting renewables and energy efficiency to the public. We evaluate what energy policies Missouri could implement and guide stakeholders as they use the policies that are put in place.

Renew Missouri is based in Columbia, MO and we also have an office in St. Louis. We invite you to join our email list for routine updates on our work and how we are making Missouri a leader in energy policy for our country.