Bill Magavern | Capitol Weekly Link to article Millions of Californians suffered from smog and smoke this summer, but help is on the way. Defying the expectations of many observers and the fierce opposition of the oil industry, the Legislature passed a historic climate protection package in August. What the late-session action showed is that […]
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Utilities Commission Overhaul Moving In Last Days Of Session
August 29, 2016
Ben Bradford | Capital Public Radio Link to article The California Public Utilities Commission oversees electric utilities, and also telecommunications and transportation–although perhaps not for much longer. A trio of bills moving through the state Legislature would change the commission’s responsibilities, after several high-profile controversies. Commissioners’ handling of the San Bruno pipeline explosion and […]
Energy initiative sparks desert duel
July 25, 2016
Carolyn Lochhead | San Francisco Chronicle Link to article Industry, scientists spar as Obama tries to fast-track Mojave wind and solar farms In its final months, the Obama administration is racing to complete a far-reaching environmental initiative that could forever alter one of the wildest places left in California. A giant energy plan for the […]
Thorny issues challenge California’s commitment to renewable energy goals
July 19, 2016
Ralph Vartabedian | LA Times/L.A. Now Link to article As California pushes forward on its ambitious goal to produce 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, it will confront a wide range of potentially troubling economic, technical and political questions — though there remains strong support among public officials for the state’s climate […]
The western US grid is fragmented. Stitching it together is a no-brainer.
June 2, 2016
David Roberts | Vox Media Inc. / Vox.com Link to article The US electricity sector is a bit of a mess. The deregulation that swept through it in the 1990s and early 2000s was brought to a screeching halt by the Enron debacle. That left about half of US states and three-quarters of US ratepayers […]
Salton Sea geothermal: Cheaper than solar farms?
April 14, 2016
Sammy Roth | The Desert Sun Link to article Building more geothermal power plants by the Salton Sea could eventually save Californians hundreds of millions of dollars per year, according to a new report. The lake is home to one of the world’s most potent geothermal reservoirs, thanks to underground heat that brings salty water […]
Focus: California’s energy and water are in short supply
April 11, 2016
By Kurt Snibbe | OG Register Link to article California needs energy and water equally, and residents are being asked to cut back on both. The state is leading the nation in setting goals for increasing production of renewable-energy sources but has relied on natural gas for the bulk of its energy production. Image from […]
Iron and Earth
April 5, 2016
Iron and Earth from Iron and Earth on Vimeo. Iron and Earth is an oilsands worker led organization committed to catalyzing the renewable energy sector in Canada.
Amid Price Plunge, North American Oil and Gas Workers Seek Transition to Renewable Sector
April 3, 2016
By Candice Bernd, Truthout.com | Link to article Lliam Hildebrand says he had a moment of clarity during an apprenticeship at a steel-fabricating shop in Victoria, Canada. He was learning the metal-working skills he would need to become a boilermaker, to eventually move on to work on the many steel vessels — including furnaces, pipelines, […]
