California Climate & Energy Collaborative

Keeping the Lights On: Energy Efficiency and Electric System Reliability

Sarina Soor
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Grid reliability depends on a balance between supply and demand, as well as on effective grid operation. Federal and state agencies have increased their scrutiny of grid reliability as a result of changes in the electricity industry and growing concerns about security, aging infrastructure, and adequate supplies. Ensuring the reliability of the bulk power system…

Disasters and Energy Resilience: Keeping the Lights on in Our Darkest Hour – Oct 25-26

Sarina Soor
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Please join the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (LGSEC) for a one-day information and networking forum for California local government energy and climate professionals on Thursday, October 25th from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM at the Santa Rosa Veteran’s Memorial Center followed by an energy and resilience-focused tour on Friday October 26th! With an emphasis…

As wildfires get larger, California Government allocates $256 million towards fire risk reduction

Sarina Soor
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“In an effort to reduce the dangers of wildfires, California Governor Jerry Brown signed an executive order that calls for accelerating forest management and restoration. This order comes mere months after the state saw some of its largest and deadliest blazes. Issues that will be tackled with this order include: combating tree mortality, increasing the…

Scientists say ocean circulation is slowing. Here’s why you should care.

Sarina Soor
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“There are already signs that the weakening is having an effect. In 2015, scientists traced the imminent collapse of the commercially important cod fishery in the region to rapidly warming water in the Gulf of Maine, which fits the pattern of slowing Atlantic circulation. Record-warm water off the East Coast that helped fuel 2011’s destructive…

Year in Review: Growth of microgrids for resilience

Sarina Soor
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“Since the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, that country has been quietly moving toward microgrids, distributed generation, and smart energy systems, Reuters reported this year. The coastal city Higashi-Matsushima has an independent transmission grid, solar panels, and batteries that can keep power running for a minimum of three days if disaster were to strike…