Community Energy Resilience

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Urge Governor Newsom to use electric vehicles for cheap, reliable electricity

Californians are facing the twin crises of soaring utility bills and unreliable electricity. Wildfires, heatwaves, and other climate-fueled extreme weather events pose an increasing threat to the reliability and resilience of our electrical grid.  Electricity rates continue to climb as corporate utilities spend on expensive grid infrastructure upgrades. In addition, utilities are using climate-polluting “peaker” … Read more

Categories Community Energy Resilience Transportation
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The anti-climate bill that worries me right now

California should ensure that rooftop solar is affordable for working-class Californians because it saves all of us money and makes the grid more resilient and clean. Instead, with the help of corporate utilities, state leaders are attempting to walk back promises to early adopters and make solar much less affordable for everyone. On June 3, … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience

How Electric School Buses Can Help Californians Save Money, Cut Pollution, and Keep the Lights On

Zoom

Right now, nine out of ten school buses across the country run on fossil fuels. California, however, leads the nation in electric school bus adoption, with more than 3,100 electric buses in the state. Every electric school bus provides an opportunity to cut air and climate pollution and save money in California communities. Electric school … Read more

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The 2025 California Climate Policy Summit: Growing our power together

Thanks to the more than 400 of you who were able to join us last week for the 2025 California Climate Policy Summit in Sacramento. It was an inspiring day of learning, action, and community, despite the challenges we face from rapidly worsening climate impacts and a science-denying, pro-oil federal administration. California State Senate President … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Climate Justice Climate Targets Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Natural Carbon Sequestration
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Opening remarks at the California Climate Policy Summit 2025

CA Climate Policy Summit 2025

On April 22, 2025, The Climate Center convened 400 climate activists, environmental justice advocates, state decision-makers, elected officials, business leaders, scientists, and policy experts for the fourth annual California Climate Policy Summit. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Together, we’ll continue building support for accelerated, equitable climate policy. Read here the opening remarks from The … Read more

Categories Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels Just Transition Natural Carbon Sequestration
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What is a virtual power plant?

Electricity rates have reached unacceptable levels for Californians in recent months. PG&E’s rates increased once again on March 1 and California state senators recently reprimanded the California Public Utility Commission for the approval of six PG&E rate hikes in the past year. In addition, Californians are paying for surging energy demand from the growth of … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience
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Three new California climate bills I’m excited about

As the president dismantles climate progress and much more, California’s bold climate leadership is needed more urgently than ever. That’s why I’m especially excited about these three new climate bills before California’s state legislature. The Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act — introduced as SB 684 (Menjivar) in the Senate and AB 1243 (Addis) in the … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Fossil Fuels
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Reducing Consumer Costs in California

Performance-Based Regulation for Investor-Owned Utilities

California faces an electricity affordability crisis, with rates soaring far beyond national averages and contributing to financial distress for many households. In order to build a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy system, California policymakers should look to performance-based regulation. What is performance-based regulation? Performance-based regulation (PBR) describes a set of policy tools that … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Energy Efficiency
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Testimony: Use distributed energy resources to mitigate utility fire risk

Power lines at sunset. Photo via Canva.

On March 5, 2025, the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee held a hearing on Utility Wildfire Spending. In the wake of the Los Angeles fires, the state is considering how to mitigate wildfires sparked by utility infrastructure, and they should utilize the potential of distributed energy resources to build a cleaner, more resilient electricity system. The … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Energy Efficiency
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Testimony: Clean, affordable electricity using distributed energy resources

On February 19, 2025, the California Senate Energy, Utilities, and Communications Committee held a hearing on how to provide clean, affordable electricity. Electricity rates in California are nearly double the national average and have skyrocketed in recent years, outpacing inflation even while investor-owned utilities rake in record profits. The following expert testimony was provided to … Read more

Categories Clean Energy Community Energy Resilience Energy Efficiency