“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 climate policies and clean energy goals did not cause the state’s recent blackouts, as the three lead California energy agencies wrote in a letter to the Governor and the Legislature in August. The … Read more
BY ELLIE COHEN and The Climate Center Staff, SPECIAL TO THE SACRAMENTO BEE https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article245311865.html AUGUST 29, 2020 05:00 AM , UPDATED AUGUST 29, 2020 09:50 AM The rolling blackouts that started on Aug. 14 amid a record heatwave provide an alarming reminder of how fragile and obsolete California’s electricity system is. They should also serve as a … Read more
Joe Biden’s selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate sent a message that climate change policy in a Biden Administration will focus on ensuring that communities already burdened by pollution benefit from a transition to clean energy, following up on Senator Harris’ recent proposed legislation, the Climate Equity Act. Equity was also the focus … Read more
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
by Aimee Barnes, State of the Planet Highlights Senator Kamala Harris’ “Climate Plan for the People” platform during her Presidential campaign highlighted the creation of an international coalition to manage the transition away from fossil fuel production In order to reach the best-case climate scenario as proposed by the Paris Agreement, the world will need … Read more
by Kavya Balaraman, Utility Dive Highlights A group of 11 small scale, local agencies called Community Choice Agencies (CCAs) have issued a request for information regarding long-duration battery storage that can hold power for at least 8 hours The storage can be used to take in excess solar power from the day and shift its … Read more
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
by Justin Gerdes, Greentech Media Highlights Realizing that Massachusetts will not meet its emissions reduction targets if the state continues to use natural gas, the Department of Public Utilities is investigating the future of natural gas companies at the request of State Attorney General Maura Healey Electrification of buildings, energy efficiency, and geothermal network applications … Read more
by Bob Berwyn, Inside Climate News Highlights The worst-case climate scenarios that feature the highest greenhouse gas emissions projections are the best ones to strategically plan for as they capture both future and historical emissions Though the use of coal is dwindling, cumulative concentrations of greenhouse gases that were emitted in the past play a … Read more
by Moira Warburton, The Huffington Post Highlights The Milne Ice Shelf, located on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, has collapsed, resulting in the loss of over 40% of the glaciers total area The area loss is more than the island of Manhattan Arctic amplification, high air temperatures, offshore winds, and open water … Read more
