I think it’s like giving a town a new language—electricity that comes from the wind or sun instead of a distant power plant. When a community builds its own solar array or microgrid, people actually start to see themselves as part of a shared system, not just customers of a corporate service. You get more conversations at the community center about how to balance load, or who can share excess power during a storm, and that sparks a real sense of mutual care. But it’s not just sunshine and buzz; it’s also a test of our willingness to collaborate. There’s always the temptation to go all DIY and keep everything separate, which can turn into isolation. A true shift means people have to trust each other, agree on maintenance schedules, and maybe let go of that “I’m the only one who can fix this” mindset. In the end, it can bring communities closer, but only if they’re ready to face the messy parts of working together.