In California, questions swirl around new voluntary renewable energy program Greenwire by Debra Kahn – May 14, 2012 Despite pitfalls and naysayers, California’s largest and most troubled power company is plugging its latest “green” efforts. Northern California’s Pacific Gas and Electric Co. unveiled a new “green option” last month that would allow customers to pay … Read more
Background: April 10, 2012, the Sonoma County Water Agency Board voted unanimously to continue its evaluation of Sonoma Clean Power. Since 2011 the Sonoma County Water Agency has studied the feasibility and desirability of implementing Sonoma Clean Power, a local program that will buy and generate electricity for businesses and residents to reduce local greenhouse … Read more
On April 10 the Sonoma County Water Agency voted unanimously to take the next steps toward Sonoma Clean Power, a local program that buys and generates electricity for business and residents. The Board voted to pursue the creation of a Joint Powers Authority that would govern the program, and to produce the program’s Implementation Plan … Read more
Please come show your support for Sonoma Clean Power on Tuesday, April 10th at 10am when the Sonoma County Water Agency Board will decide whether or not to proceed with Sonoma County’s Community Choice Energy program – Sonoma Clean Power (sonomacleanpower.org). The Board will vote on taking the first steps for an Implementation Plan and … Read more
Battling climate change can take its toll on us. At times, the shift we need to make in our economic system to move us away from fossil fuel toward clean energy and the changes to our habitual ways of thinking seems daunting. Our political system with powerful and entrenched interests seems rigged against making the … Read more
Project Coordinator (eCO2mmute) The Climate Protection Campaign, a nonprofit organization based in Sonoma County, seeks a talented team player who’s a quick learner, is excited about helping implement the eCO2mmute program in Sonoma County high schools, and is passionate about climate protection. The mission of the Climate Protection Campaign is to inspire, align and mobilize … Read more
A big piece of the story was missing in the article about the modest increase in electricity rates due to the decrease in natural gas costs (“Small hike expected in PG&E bills,” Dec. 31). Natural gas prices have fallen recently largely because hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, is increasing gas supplies. Because much of Sonoma … Read more
Close to Home, Press Democrat January 1, 2012 Vineyards cover only 6% of Sonoma County’s one million acres, but the county’s $400 million wine industry plays a major role in climate protection. So it is heartening to read that Jackson Family Wines recently received a Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. … Read more
Thank you for publishing comments from Jack Hayes, National Weather Service (“In 2012, let’s plan for worst weather”). Hayes calls for us to prepare for extreme weather events. Adaptation to greenhouse gas impacts from emissions we’ve already put in the atmosphere is a prudent, minimum response in the wake of record weather disasters this year. Unfortunately, … Read more
Today the Sonoma County Water Agency voted unanimously to continue evaluating community choice aggregation (CCA) for Sonoma County, now officially dubbed “Sonoma Clean Power.” The Board Actions include: Developing more detailed information about governance structures Investigating the incorporation of significant new energy efficiency in order to reduce rates Evaluating varying “power mixes” to optimize the … Read more