Stephan:   I live on an island 55 miles long not far from a village of a little over 1,000 people. The South end of the island has about 26,000 people scattered across an area roughly 25 miles by eight miles, so population density is low. I go into these details to make a point illustrated by three stories of communities about the size of mine. Three communities that decided to rethink the entire issue of their electrical power system -- two have succeeded, and one is on the verge. My community could do this and, if you live in a situation somewhat similar to these three, so could yours. Increasingly I have come to think that the big problem for small communities is not technology, or even money, but the ability to think in new ways and to develop the political will to make that new paradigm a reality. -- Stephan