As the focus on resiliency and blackout prevention grows, here are some resources to connect with California local governments forging ahead on resiliency efforts (and some new research):
The City of Berkeley has been selected as one of 100 cities globally to participate in the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities initiative, and released a resiliency plan this April that identifies neighborhoods most at risk, beneficial connections to community and social justice organizations, and strategies for strengthening communication channels in the event of an emergency. Hear more from Berkeley Chief Resilience Officer Tim Burroughs in CityLab coverage: A Community-Minded Approach to Resilience in Berkeley.
Three other California cities – San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland have appointed resiliency leads as part of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative. San Francisco’s Resilient SF plan, which highlights retrofitting public and other buildings to make them more energy efficient, is available here. Resources are also available from Los Angeles and Oakland.
New research from Navigant hones in on new patterns in blackouts frequency and duration, and reviews the potential of microgrids. And Intelligent Utility asserts that microgrids and demand response need to be a part of city resiliency strategies. EE News explores whether resiliency efforts in California will support further energy storage deployment.
For more on demand response, click here. For more on energy storage, click here.