California Climate & Energy Collaborative

Pathways to 100% Renewable Energy – Apr 12-13

Sarina Soor
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This international event brings together top experts from around the world to discuss the latest challenges and opportunities in transitioning to 100% renewable energy. The theme of this year’s event is Toward Electrification Across Sectors : Getting Across the Finish Line. The event is being organized by the Renewables 100 Policy Institute. Questions? Email: pathways@renewables100.org…

How California builders are adapting to state’s super-strict energy mandates

Sarina Soor
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Weston is Pardee’s first master-planned community to offer solar for purchase or lease on every single home. This feature foreshadows a significant change in California’s building code, going into effect in 2020, that will make the state the first in the nation to mandate all new homes are net zero ready, meaning they’re built to…

How California builders are adapting to state’s super-strict energy mandates

Sarina Soor
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“Each home will come with SunPower solar system, ranging from 3 to 5 kilowatts, which can generate up to 8,000 kilowatt hours based on home orientation, which estimates suggest will cover 80 percent or more of a home’s energy usage. The renewable focus is part of Pardee’s LivingSmart branding, developments with smart home features, energy…

Distributed solar and efficiency saves California $2.6 billion on power lines

Sarina Soor
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“California’s grid operator has chosen to cancel 20 transmission projects and revise 21 others, as energy efficiency and distributed generation prove their worth. The majority of the projects were located in the service area of utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), while two of the canceled projects were located in San Diego Gas & Electric…

California’s 100% renewable energy initiative gains steam

Sarina Soor
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“A broad coalition is pushing legislation to increase California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard to 60%, with an eventual goal of 100% CO2 free electricity by 2045. In September of 2017, the electricity utilities and northern California electrical worker unions pushed back hard against the bill. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1245, said Kevin de…

California Sets Two New Solar Records

Sarina Soor
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“Mild temperatures and sunny skies helped California set two new solar records in recent days. On Sunday, March 4, the California Independent System Operator saw an all-time peak percentage of demand served by solar, hitting a record 49.95 percent at 12:58 p.m. That’s up from the previous peak of 47.2 percent set on May 14,…

Webinar: Tailoring the Solar Permitting Process to Match Stakeholder Preferences

Sarina Soor
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“The time it takes for a rooftop solar PV system to receive a final building permit and connect to the grid is uncertain and often lengthy. The uncertainty hurts customer acquisition, retention, and satisfaction, while long delays are associated with the higher comparative costs of U.S. PV installations. In response, a variety of streamlined solar…

My life in the elusive green economy

Sarina Soor
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“Over the past decade, the costs of solar panels and electric-vehicle batteries have dropped so dramatically that they’re starting to make financial sense—not yet for all consumers in all parts of the country, but for more consumers every day. Now my life has become a daily education in the fast-changing economics of green. Our home…

California sets two new solar records

Sarina Soor
“On Sunday, March 4, the California Independent System Operator saw an all-time peak percentage of demand served by solar, hitting a record 49.95 percent at 12:58 p.m. That’s up from the previous peak of 47.2 percent set on May 14, 2017. A day later, on March 5, CAISO set another solar record, this time hitting a…

US solar installers report increased optimism – except in California

Sarina Soor
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“Though confidence also increased in 2016, installers saw ups and downs that year, including the December 2015 extension of the federal Investment Tax Credit and the election of a president unfriendly to clean energy. There are always challenges in solar, however. A shift in confidence in California, the country’s largest market, spurred by regulatory hurdles and…

Valuing the Resilience Provided by Solar and Battery Energy Storage Systems

Sarina Soor
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“Researchers from NREL and Clean Energy Group found that placing a monetary value on the ability of solar+storage to avoid losses during grid outages can significantly impact project economics and system design. Using data from Southern California Edison, researchers analyzed the economic case for solar+storage for three customer types (school, office building, and hotel) in…

Valuing Resilience: Exploring the Role of Solar+Storage in Grid Outages – Mar. 14

Sarina Soor
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“In this webinar, experts from the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) will share how they are approaching the topic of resiliency. The presenters will give an overview of the importance of considering energy resilience when planning and making investment decisions, followed by a discussion of how solar technology can be deployed to help mitigate outages.…

Why utilities and environmentalists can find common (green) ground

Sarina Soor
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“More Americans have installed rooftop solar panels, which further reduces demand. Many in the power industry worry about the sustainability of their traditional business model. Environmentalists fear losing ground during an Administration that has repudiated the Paris climate accord and the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Here’s the deal: the power industry commits to an even cleaner grid…