Woody Hastings

Woody Hastings is the Energy Program Manager for The Climate Center. He can be reached at woody@theclimatecenter.org or 707-525-1665 ext. 117
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Hydrogen Policy Brief

Guidance for policymakers on the production, delivery, and applications of renewable energy-based electrolytic hydrogen

The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report states that 100 percent renewable energy systems will likely need to include hydrogen. However, the hydrogen debate — based on efficiency costs, climate pollution, health and safety, and environmental impacts — is complex and has ebbed and flowed over the past several decades. The reality is that hydrogen is neither … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Transportation
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Why The Climate Center supports Prop 30

Prop 30 on the November 8 ballot is the only statewide climate measure on the ballot, and it’s a good one. We urge a “yes” vote. The Climate Center supports Prop 30 because it is a genuine climate initiative that benefits all Californians and will help the state accelerate progress toward a climate-safe future. We … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Transportation
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Carbon Capture and Storage Policy Brief

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as outlined in the Paris Agreement, requires both cutting emissions by at least 45 percent by 2030 and removing past carbon pollution from the atmosphere. The use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is increasingly under discussion among policymakers as one of multiple potential tools for cutting carbon pollution. … Read more

Categories Carbon Sequestration Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Just Transition Public Health
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Upcoming Climate Center webinars to focus on climate science and fossil fuel phaseout

The Climate Center is kicking off its Climate Safe California winter webinar series with the first two webinars focused on climate science and a just transition away from the fossil energy era. Webinar 1. What the Science Requires The first titled “What the Science Requires” will take place on Tuesday, January 26th, 10am – 11am. … Read more

Categories Climate Justice Fossil Fuels Just Transition
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California blackouts: Dude, where’s my Resource Adequacy?

The three main California energy agencies said it loud & clear in a letter to the Governor and the Legislature dated August 19: “…our organizations want to be clear about one factor that did not cause the rotating outage: California’s commitment to clean energy. Renewable energy did not cause the rotating outages.” That’s right, California’s … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Energy Efficiency
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How to drive fossil fuels out of the US economy, quickly

Credit: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

by David Roberts, Vox Highlights A new initiative, Rewiring America founded by Saul Griffith, asserts that rapid decarbonization through electrification would create 15 million to 20 million jobs in the next decade and that it’s possible to eliminate 70 percent to 80 percent of US carbon emissions by 2035 through rapid deployment of existing electrification … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Fossil Fuels
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Electrify everything, or aim for beneficial electrification?

My how things have changed. Back in the day, when most of the electricity we used was derived from fossil energy sources, any reduction of electricity use was considered a good thing by those concerned about emission. Now that the grid is on a trajectory toward ever cleaner sources, the dynamic has changed. Fuel switching … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Energy Efficiency Transportation
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – March 27, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 disruption, the legislature has gone into recess until April 13 at the earliest. While the legislature is on recess, The Climate Center continues to analyze the bills that were introduced in February, and is in the process of determining positions on many of them. Below are several, but not all, of … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Justice Community Choice Energy Community Energy Resilience Energy Efficiency Fossil Fuels Transportation
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Legislative Update for March 12, 2020

Below are several selected upcoming committee hearings and several, but not all, of the key bills we are tracking. For a complete list of the 44 bills we are currently tracking in 2020, click HERE. Please send updates, suggestions, corrections to info[at]cleanpowerexchange.org. Our next update will be published here on March 26. SPECIAL NOTE: Due … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Choice Energy Community Energy Resilience Transportation