by Andy Ferguson, North Bay Clean Energy Forum
How can communities quickly transition from using fossil fuels like natural gas and gasoline to using renewables like solar? A community group called the North Bay Clean Energy Forum has released a new white paper describing specific strategies to rapidly make this switch. The group envisions that most of the strategies would be implemented by Community Choice Energy agencies such as Sonoma Clean Power.
The white paper calls for Community Choice Energy agencies like Sonoma Clean Power to immediately start pilot studies on game-changing technologies such as heat pumps that use natural refrigerants. It also recommends assessing local energy use in buildings. The paper gives special attention to making buildings carbon-neutral or “Zero Net Emissions,” meaning the renewable energy the building generates plus the renewable energy it receives from the grid is equal to or greater than the energy it uses.
The paper describes the unique role that Community Choice Energy agencies can play to enable local communities to transition from natural gas towards renewables.
photo: aerial of Sonoma County buildings, which would be entirely powered by renewables under this plan
Click here to download the paper.
