inland empire – California Climate and Energy Collaborative

After more than a decade, the 500 MW Palen Solar Project is approved

November 18, 2018

“The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) yesterday released its Record of Decision, authorizing the Palen Solar Project, a photovoltaic facility owned by EDF Renewable Energy, to occupy up to 3,140 acres of BLM-administered lands, approximately 10 miles east of Desert Center, north of Interstate 10, in Riverside County. The BLM noted that the project will…

Press Release: Californians Are Saving 10 Billion Kilowatt-Hours Through the HERO Program

July 1, 2016

Sarina Soor

best practices, energy efficiency, evaluation, financing, inland empire, measurement & verification, PACE, residential, solar, southern california

Excerpting from the HERO Program’s June 29th press release, “Renovate America today announced that California home energy savings from the HERO Program hit 10 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), an important milestone that is roughly equivalent to (more…)

NYTimes Coverage and Slideshow: Zero Net Energy Test Homes in Fontana, Homeowner Feedback, and Plans for Expansion

June 8, 2016

Sarina Soor

best practices, building controls & analytics, building envelope, buildings, CPUC, energy efficiency, energy storage, green building, HVAC, inland empire, lighting, renewables/DERs, residential, solar, weekly updates, zero net energy (ZNE)

The development of zero net energy (ZNE) homes in Fontana announced last April got press as the focus of this June 3rd New York Times article: A Suburban Experiment Aims for Free Energy. Visit the New York Times for the full story – (more…)

Victorville Passes Climate Action Plan

May 31, 2016

Sarina Soor

best practices, climate action plans, energy efficiency, inland empire, Local Governments in Action, southern california, transportation, weekly updates

The City of Victorville, located in San Bernardino County, passed its draft Climate Action Plan earlier this month. Learn more in the coverage by Victorville Daily Press below, or (more…)

WRCOG, SANBAG and County of LA Win 2016 Climate Leadership Award

March 18, 2016

Sarina Soor

best practices, climate change, EE community programs, EE programs, energy efficiency, financing, funding, inland empire, Local Governments in Action, PACE, revolving loan fund, southern california, southern coast, stakeholder engagement, weekly updates

Congratulations to the Western Riverside Council of Governments, San Bernardino Associated Governments, and the County of Los Angeles, for receiving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 Climate Leadership Award! For more information on their accomplishments and best practices using the Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Program, click here.

Upcoming No-Cost Building Energy Code Training Opportunities

March 18, 2016

Sarina Soor

bay area, best practices, buildings, central coast, codes and standards, compliance, energy efficiency, events, inland empire, southern coast, Title 24, training, webinars, workshops

Looking for resources to get up to speed on Title 24 energy code? No-cost trainings for building inspectors, plan examiners, contractors, and energy consultants are available through Energy Code Ace, funded through the California Codes and Standards Program – which has to-date trained over 3,500 local government and building professionals. Energy Code Ace has upcoming trainings…

California small businesses recognized through CoolCalifornia.org for implementing climate-smart strategies

February 27, 2016

Sarina Soor

alternative fuel vehicles, bay area, best practices, central valley, commercial, EE community programs, EE programs, inland empire, lighting, northern california, renewables/DERs, sierra nevada, solar, southern california, southern coast, water energy nexus

Earlier this week, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced the winners of the 6th CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards, recognizing small businesses that demonstrate leadership and make notable, voluntary achievements toward reducing their carbon footprint. CARB’s press release is shared below: “These businesses illustrate the California story,” said CARB Chair Mary Nichols. “From Eureka to San…

RFP for CCA Program Potential in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties

February 23, 2016

Sarina Soor

CCA, cost-effectiveness, EE community programs, EE municipal programs, EE programs, inland empire, RFPs, southern california, strategic planning, weekly updates

The Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) is soliciting firms to conduct a Study to explore the potential for a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The Study is being jointly coordinated by WRCOG, the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG), and the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG). The Study…

Riverside’s New Economic Prosperity Action Plan and Climate Action Plan

January 20, 2016

Sarina Soor

best practices, climate action plans, energy efficiency, energy workforce, health, inland empire, southern california, strategic planning, transportation, water energy nexus

In 2014 Riverside was one of twelve cities that collaborated with the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) on a Subregional Climate Action Plan (Subregional CAP) that includes 36 measures to guide Riverside’s GHG reduction efforts through 2020. Building off this highly-collaborative subregional CAP, the City of Riverside has put forth a “Riverside Restorative Growthprint”…

City of Beaumont Approves Final “Sustainable Beaumont” Climate Action Plan

November 4, 2015

Sarina Soor

AB 802, best practices, climate action plans, commercial, cool roofs, demand response, EE community programs, EE municipal programs, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, incentives, inland empire, lighting, Local Governments in Action, permitting, residential, SCE, southern california, Title 24, training, transportation

Last week, Beaumont’s City Council approved the City’s Sustainable Beaumont Climate Action Plan. The Plan, prepared by Atkins and funded through the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), sets a number of goals, including: Provision of resources (education, training, audits, retrofits, and an Environmental Advocate) and working with regional groups and utilities to improve both…

California rancherias look to microgrids for power during natural disasters (Sacramento Bee)

October 30, 2015

Sarina Soor

best practices, inland empire, microgrid, northern california, northern coast, resiliency, southern california, underserved communities

Learn about how California rancherias are looking into (and implementing) microgrids as a source of resiliency in coverage from the Sacramento Bee: California rancherias look to microgrids for power during natural disasters. (more…)

California’s First Zero Net Energy Community Under Development in Fontana

April 28, 2015

Sarina Soor

building envelope, buildings, CPUC, energy efficiency, geothermal, HVAC, inland empire, renewables/DERs, residential, SCE, solar, southern california, zero net energy (ZNE)

Through a partnership between the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Meritage Homes, BIRAenergy, Itron, SCE, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), a (more…)

Moreno Valley and the SoCal Regional Energy Network Work Together to Uncover City Lighting and HVAC Upgrades for Energy and Cost Savings

March 15, 2015

Sarina Soor

buildings, energy efficiency, HVAC, inland empire,