Hydrogen Refueling Network Welcomes Hayward Station
The California Energy Commission welcomed another new hydrogen refueling station to its network.
The Hayward station, now open at 391 West A Street, provides Californians with the fueling options they need to consider replacing their petroleum-fueled cars with hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles. Fuel-cell cars, like all-electric plug-in cars, do not emit smog-forming pollution. They help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the earth and change its climate.
The Energy Commission has funded 49 hydrogen stations. It is working to ensure as many of them as possible are open by the end of 2016, with plans to fund up to 100 for the initial introduction of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles in the California marketplace.
Hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars are much quieter to drive than gasoline-fueled cars. Fuel-cell cars have about the same range – 300 miles – on a full tank and they can be larger than the battery electric vehicles that rely on heavy batteries. Filling up a fuel-cell vehicle takes about three to five minutes and is similar to traditional gas cars that receive liquid gas.
California requires at least 33 percent of the hydrogen used by fuel-cell cars to be from renewable energy sources. Some stations will dispense 100 percent renewable hydrogen. Hydrogen refueling stations and vehicles are safe. They have been around for at least 20 years, supporting transit buses.
With transportation responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, zero-emission cars, such as hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars, can help California reach its climate change goals and reduce air pollution. That’s why the Energy Commission is funding hydrogen refueling stations and electric vehicle chargers.
See the status and locations of these stations here.
New Standards Make Big Splash in Water Savings
Californians use about 443 billion gallons of water a year to flush toilets and urinals, and run faucets. But with the state in a multi-year drought, changes were approved last year to save billions of gallons of water from going down the drain.
In 2015, the California Energy Commission adopted water efficiency standards requiring toilets, urinals, faucets, and showerheads to consume less water – more than 14.2 billion gallons in the first year and 150 billion gallons after all existing fixtures are replaced.
The standards for bathroom faucets and showerheads go into effect July 1, 2016. Although inventories of existing stock can continue to be sold after that date, products manufactured after June 30, 2016 must meet the following standards:
- Showerhead flow rates move from 2.5 gallons per minute to 2.0 gallons per minute. This applies to fixed and handheld showerheads and horizontal body sprayers. It changes to 1.8 gallons per minute maximum flow rate July 1, 2018 making it the most stringent showerhead standard in the country.
Edificios del Estado Conservan EnergÃa durante el Tiempo de Calor en el Sur de California
Robert B. Weisenmiller, presidente de la Comisión de EnergÃa de California, sigue promocionando eficiencia de energÃa durante el tiempo de calor del sur de California. La semana pasada, en un esfuerzo para dirigir de ejemplo, Weisenmiller les pidió a los lÃderes de la Universidad de California, Universidad del Estado de California, el Puerto de Long Beach, el Puerto de Los Angeles y la Fuerza Especial de Sostenibilidad del estado – compuesto de ejecutivos del agencias del estado – para conservar energÃa para ayudar evitar interrupciones del consume en el sur de California. Lee el comunicado de prensa sobre la llamada a acción aquÃ.
Esta semana Weisenmiller mandó esta carta de seguimiento:
Gracias por responder a mi llamada de acción en la semana pasada. Algunas ubicaciones en el sur de California estableció una temperatura alta de todos los tiempos el 20 de junio, alcanzando al 121 grados Fahrenheit. Cuando anunciaron la llamada del operador del Sistema independiente de California para un horario limitado de mantenimiento y un “Flex Alert,” no tenemos que cortar electricidad. Sus inquilinos de edificio hechó una diferencia por ayudar de conserver energÃa durante estos tiempos del estres sobre el Sistema. Yo les encomiendo para seguir el mandato y espero que las lecciones aprendidas desde este episódio puede estar usado para responder al tiempos de calor en el futuro.
Yo les animo a mirar a obtener productos de eficiencia de energÃa como LEDs, unidades más efectivos de HVAC y ventanas resistentes al calor – revestimientos exteriors reflectantes de las ventanas es un ejemplo. Por favor, visite la pagina de tu utilidad eléctrico local para más información sobre rebajas (LADWP, SCE, SDG&E, IID, Anaheim, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank and Riverside). La Administración NacÃonal Oceanica y Atmosferica pronostica un verano de calor en exceso. Estas productos te ayudaran ahorrar dinero, ayudar la red eléctrica durante horas pico, y reducir la polución del aire y emisiones de efecto invernadero.
Recuerda, la conservación ayuda reducir costos y polución. Ciertas acciones que puedes tomar incluye:
- Apaga todas las luces innecesarias para la seguridad o productividad.
- Ajuste el aire condicionado a 78 grados Farenheit o arriba.
- Mantenga ventanas, puertas y persianas cerradas en donde factible para mantener el aire frio adentro.
- Apaga equipo de oficina, computadoras, impresoras y otro equipo electrical que no son necesario para la productividad.
- Desenchufar maquinas de café y otra cosas electrónicas en el salón de descanso cuando no está en uso.
- Bajar la temperatura de agua caliente como apropiada.
- Si utiliza otros aparatos, evita el uso de ellos durante las horas má calientes del dÃa.
- Gracias de nuevo y espero con interés la continuación asociarse con ustedes para hacerlo a través del verano con una disrupción mÃnima.
Robert B. Wieisnmiller
Principal, La Commisiónde EnergÃa de California
PACE: Protect Homeowners and the Environment
By David Hochschild
As California presses forward to reduce pollution and build a clean energy future, one of the most vexing challenges has been upgrading existing buildings so that they use less energy.
While buildings in California represent 70 percent of our electricity consumption and 55 percent of our natural gas consumption, until recently, few policies have had broad success in motivating private property owners to make energy efficiency improvements to their buildings.
However, over the last two years, one local policy has quietly emerged as the single most successful tool in promoting these types of energy upgrades: Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE).
PACE allows homeowners to voluntarily make improvements to their homes that reduce their gas, electric and water bills. Instead of requiring homeowners to pay for these upgrades up front, PACE allows the upgrades to be paid for through property taxes over 20 years.
If a homeowner moves, the obligation to pay for the project typically stays with the home and is assumed by the new buyer – unlike any other form of financing.
This policy is simple, low-risk and market-based.
And it is getting results.
So far, more than $2 billion has been spent on more than 70,000 home energy upgrades through PACE financing in California, enabling homeowners to install solar panels, efficient heating and cooling systems, energy-efficient roofs, windows and lights.
PACE also supports measures to reduce water use, which is particularly important given California’s drought.
An estimated 9 billion kilowatts of energy and 3.4 billion gallons of water will be saved from the PACE projects completed in California, representing $2.5 billion in utility bill savings.
Unfortunately, despite this progress, critics of PACE have been fighting this policy. The Federal Housing and Finance Agency (FHFA) has taken the position, supported by the big banks, that PACE financing poses an excessive risk to mortgage lenders and raises the risk of default.
They argue that it is a mistake to allow the policy to continue as is.
But this view misses the most critical feature of the program: PACE financing is exclusively for upgrades that reduce utility bills, leaving homeowners in a better, rather than worse, position to afford a mortgage payment and avoid defaulting. The state’s largest residential PACE provider publicly reports a default rate half that of California homeowners as a whole. And a national study from the Institute for Market Transformation found that defaults were 32 percent less likely to occur on energy efficient homes.
Research also shows PACE homes have higher property values, even in the case of foreclosure, implicitly giving banks an extra layer of protection on their investment.
California has worked hard to address the banking industry’s concerns about the perceived risk of default on homes with PACE financing.
In 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown worked together with the state treasurer to create a $10 million loan-loss reserve fund to cover any costs in the event there were defaults resulting from PACE projects. Despite over $2 billion in PACE projects completed in California across 400 local governments in every region of the state, the loan-loss reserve has not been called on to spend a dime.
PACE is a California success story in an area where we urgently need to make progress. The program works because it helps transform the right choice into the easy choice. Californians may not necessarily think about energy savings or environmental impacts when picking a new air conditioning system.
But with PACE they now have the option to select the most efficient product even if it costs more initially, helping California to meet its clean energy targets. And in the process, PACE is creating thousands of new, local jobs as these energy upgrades are made to buildings throughout the state.
As the PACE program expands, it is important to build on the consumer protections already in place and ensure that property owners receive comprehensive, accurate information about the costs and benefits of their upgrades.
Appropriate vigilance on behalf of consumers must be maintained. Local jurisdictions and the Contractors State License Board must continue to work to prevent bad contractors from getting into the PACE marketplace. On these points, there is broad agreement.
The energy and water challenges facing California in the years ahead are substantial. We are fortunate to have a policy such as PACE that has succeeded so quickly and broadly. We can’t let one of our state’s most promising energy policies be undone by big banks and their allies and expect to succeed in meeting the challenge of building a clean energy future.
Protecting and expanding the PACE program must be a top priority for California.
Hochschild is a commissioner on the California Energy Commission.
This commentary was originally published in the San Diego Union-Tribute on June 23, 2016.
Energy Commission a Key Stop for International Visitors
A measure of California’s leadership role in renewable energy is the robust interest among those in the international energy sector in making a stop at the California Energy Commission.
In 2015 the Energy Commission hosted delegations from 42 countries hailing from six continents. The strongest interest in visiting the Energy Commission came from Asia, namely China, Japan and South Korea.
It has become a long-standing tradition for international delegations to visit the Energy Commission. The Energy Commission’s International Visitor Program, which began in 1986, has hosted more than 2,300 delegations.
The delegations are typically accompanied by interpreters, as was the case last week when the Energy Commission hosted a 17-member group from Vietnam. The Vietnamese delegation, comprised by leaders in that country’s solar and wind sector, heard a presentation on the Energy Commission’s activities and goals in the renewable energy sector.
Most of the Vietnamese delegates were based out of Hanoi and work for the Vietnamese government. The delegates were interested in the private financial sector benefit of feed-in tariffs for solar, the the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, and the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.
Typically, the most popular topics among international visitors include climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and alternative transportation.
The next scheduled visit is a five-person delegation from South Korea that is coming in July through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. That delegation is interested in an overview of the Energy Commission’s renewable energy programs.
More information about the Energy Commission’s international cooperation efforts can be found here.
The delegations are typically accompanied by interpreters, as was the case last week when the Energy Commission hosted a 17-member group from Vietnam. The Vietnamese delegation, comprised by leaders in that country’s solar and wind sector, heard a presentation on the Energy Commission’s activities and goals in the renewable energy sector.
Most of the Vietnamese delegates were based out of Hanoi and work for the Vietnamese government. The delegates were interested in the private financial sector benefit of feed-in tariffs for solar, the the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, and the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.
Typically, the most popular topics among international visitors include climate change, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and alternative transportation.
The next scheduled visit is a five-person delegation from South Korea that is coming in July through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program. That delegation is interested in an overview of the Energy Commission’s renewable energy programs.
More information about the Energy Commission’s international cooperation efforts can be found here.
Fairfax-LA Station Joins Hydrogen Refueling Network
The California Energy Commission welcomed another new hydrogen refueling station to its network.
The Fairfax-LA station, now open at 7751 Beverly Boulevard, provides Californians with the fueling options they need to consider replacing their petroleum-fueled cars with hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles. Fuel-cell cars, like all-electric plug-in cars, do not emit smog-forming pollution. They help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the earth and change its climate.
The Energy Commission has provided funding for 49 hydrogen stations. It is working to ensure as many of them as possible are open by the end of 2016 with plans to fund up to 100 for the initial introduction of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles in the California marketplace.
Hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars are much quieter to drive than gasoline-fueled cars. Fuel-cell cars have about the same range – 300 miles – on a full tank and they can be larger than the battery electric vehicles that rely on heavy batteries. Filling up a fuel-cell vehicle takes about three to five minutes and is similar to traditional gas cars that receive liquid gas.
California requires at least 33 percent of the hydrogen used by fuel-cell cars to be from renewable energy sources. Some stations will dispense 100 percent renewable hydrogen. Hydrogen refueling stations and vehicles are safe. They have been around for at least 20 years, supporting transit buses.
With transportation responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, zero-emission cars, such as hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars, can help California reach its climate change goals and reduce air pollution. That’s why the Energy Commission is funding hydrogen refueling stations and electric vehicle chargers.
See the status and locations of these stations here.
Progress of EPIC Program Focus of Workshop in Southern California
California’s integration of renewable, distributed energy onto the grid through its Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program will be the focus of a June 22 workshop in Westminster.
The workshop will provide industry and the public a forum to learn about distribution system challenges related to renewable energy.
A focus of the workshop will be the progress being made on Advanced Distribution Automation (ADA) and the increasing role it plays on intelligently controlling and distributing renewable electric power to the grid.
The EPIC program, run by the California Energy Commission, fills critical funding gaps within the energy innovation pipeline – from a resilient grid to near zero-net-energy residential homes and commercial buildings.
The workshop will be conducted by the California Energy Commission and will include representatives of Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric Company and Southern California Edison.
The workshop continues ongoing coordination and understanding among administrators, parties, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), and also seeks to raise awareness and visibility of EPIC investments.
Commissioners from the Energy Commission and CPUC may also be in attendance.
When/Where: Wednesday June 22, 2016
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Southern California Edison Company
Advanced Technology Division
14799 Chestnut St.
Conference Room 110 K
Westminster, CA 92683
TELECONFERENCE OPTION: Parties and the public may attend the Public Workshop in person at the above location or by telephone and/or by computer via our "WebEx" web conferencing system. For additional details on how to participate via WebEx, please see the notice at:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/epic/documents/index.html#06222016
WebEx and Conference Call-in-toll-free number: 1-866-469-3239 Please go to https://energy.webex.com
Access codes: Meeting Number: 745 631 820 Meeting Password: EPIC2016
For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/research/epic/documents/index.html#06222016
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)
State Buildings Conserve Energy During Southern California Heatwave
Weisenmiller sent a follow-up letter today:
California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller continues to promote energy efficiency during Southern California’s heat wave. Last week in an effort to lead by example, he asked leaders at the University of California, California State University, Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles and the state’s Sustainability Task Force – made up of state agency executives – to conserve energy to help Southern California avoid consumer outages. Read the news release about the call to action here.
Thank you for responding to my call to action last week. Some locations in Southern California set all-time high temperatures yesterday with Palm Springs hitting 121 degrees. With the California Independent System Operator’s call for a limited maintenance schedule and a Flex Alert, we did not have to curtail electricity. Your building tenants made a difference by helping conserve energy during these times of system stress. I commend you for following the request and hope that the lessons learned from this episode can be used to respond to future heat waves.
I would encourage you to look at getting energy efficiency products like LEDs, more efficient HVAC units, and heat resistant-windows -- reflective outer coverings on windows is an example. Please visit your local electric utility’s webpage for more information on rebates (LADWP, SCE, SDG&E, IID, Anaheim, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank and Riverside). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a La Niña year with an excessively hot summer. These products will help you save money, help the grid during peak hours, and reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Remember, conservation helps reduces costs and pollution. Some actions that you can take include:
• Turn off all lighting not necessary for safety or productivity.
• Set air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher.
• Keep windows, doors and blinds closed, where feasible to keep cold air inside.
• Turn off office equipment, computers, printers and other electrical equipment that is not required productivity.
• Unplug phone chargers and other small electronic devices not necessary for work.
• Consider using a central copier, and turn off infrequently used copiers for the remainder of the day.
• Turn off coffee makers and other break room electronics when not in use.
• Turn hot water temperature down as appropriate.
• If you use other appliances, avoid using them during the warmest hours of the day.
Thank you again and I look forward to continue partnering with you to make it through the summer with minimum disruption.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Weisenmiller
Chair, California Energy Commission
California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller continues to promote energy efficiency during Southern California’s heat wave. Last week in an effort to lead by example, he asked leaders at the University of California, California State University, Port of Long Beach, Port of Los Angeles and the state’s Sustainability Task Force – made up of state agency executives – to conserve energy to help Southern California avoid consumer outages. Read the news release about the call to action here.
Thank you for responding to my call to action last week. Some locations in Southern California set all-time high temperatures yesterday with Palm Springs hitting 121 degrees. With the California Independent System Operator’s call for a limited maintenance schedule and a Flex Alert, we did not have to curtail electricity. Your building tenants made a difference by helping conserve energy during these times of system stress. I commend you for following the request and hope that the lessons learned from this episode can be used to respond to future heat waves.
I would encourage you to look at getting energy efficiency products like LEDs, more efficient HVAC units, and heat resistant-windows -- reflective outer coverings on windows is an example. Please visit your local electric utility’s webpage for more information on rebates (LADWP, SCE, SDG&E, IID, Anaheim, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank and Riverside). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a La Niña year with an excessively hot summer. These products will help you save money, help the grid during peak hours, and reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
Remember, conservation helps reduces costs and pollution. Some actions that you can take include:
• Turn off all lighting not necessary for safety or productivity.
• Set air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher.
• Keep windows, doors and blinds closed, where feasible to keep cold air inside.
• Turn off office equipment, computers, printers and other electrical equipment that is not required productivity.
• Unplug phone chargers and other small electronic devices not necessary for work.
• Consider using a central copier, and turn off infrequently used copiers for the remainder of the day.
• Turn off coffee makers and other break room electronics when not in use.
• Turn hot water temperature down as appropriate.
• If you use other appliances, avoid using them during the warmest hours of the day.
Thank you again and I look forward to continue partnering with you to make it through the summer with minimum disruption.
Sincerely,
Robert B. Weisenmiller
Chair, California Energy Commission
Energy Commission Hosts Governance of Regional Independent System Operator Workshop
Integrating the 38 balancing regional authorities that make up the state’s power grid is being seen as a major step in bringing the state’s power grid into the 21st century and meeting renewable energy goals.
Toward that effort, the California Energy Commission held a workshop in Sacramento Thursday, and will hold another in Denver on June 20, on how expansion of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) into a regional Independent System Operator could be governed.
The CAISO manages the flow of electricity across high voltage power lines that make up 80 percent of California’s power grid, and a small portion of Nevada’s. In the workshop Energy Commissioner chair Robert Weisenmiller, Public Utilities president Michael Picker plus representatives from the California ISO and other stakeholders met to discuss governance of a regional ISO.
In his introductory remarks Weisenmiller said creating a regional ISO opens an opportunity to change the power sector and would positively impact California’s goals of meeting the state’s renewable energy goals.
“Much of California is operated under an outdated power model,” said Weisenmiller.
Weisenmiller noted that the world has changed significantly in the last 20 years.
“The ability to integrate and dispatch more renewable energy is at our fingertips,” he said. “In California we have established a 50% Renewable Portfolio Standard goal, but without a modern transmission planning system in place, we cannot achieve that goal.”
Central to the workshop’s discussion in Sacramento were topics like the creation of a transparent governance model, preservation of state authority, and approaches to creating a board to oversee a regional ISO.
The agenda and the draft governance of the proposal principles for governance of a regional ISO is posted online.
Denver Workshop:
When: Monday, June 20, 2016 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time
(12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time)
Where: Westin Hotel Denver International Airport
8300 Pena Blvd.
Denver, Colorado 80249
Remote Attendance
Participation in the workshops can be done through AT&T Connect, an online meeting service. Presentations will be webcast, and can be accessed as audio via computer or telephone. The workshops will be recorded.
Via Computer: Go to http://ems7.intellor.com/login/705365. Audio connection instructions will be available after connecting to the web conference.
Via Telephone Only: (no visual presentation): Please only use this method if unable to participate by web to ensure the ability to participate in Q&A. Call (877) 369-5230. When prompted, enter the passcode 0701839#.
For More Information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/sb350/regional_grid/documents/index.html
Hydrogen Refueling Network Welcomes Campbell Station
The California Energy Commission welcomed another new hydrogen refueling station to its network.
The Campbell station, now open at 2855 Winchester Boulevard, provides Californians with the fueling options they need to consider replacing their petroleum-fueled cars with hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles. Fuel-cell cars, like all-electric plug-in cars, do not emit smog-forming pollution. They help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the earth and change its climate.
The Energy Commission has provided funding for 49 hydrogen stations. It is working to ensure as many of them as possible are open by the end of 2016 with plans to fund up to 100 for the initial introduction of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles in the California marketplace.
Hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars are much quieter to drive than gasoline-fueled cars. Fuel-cell cars have about the same range – 300 miles – on a full tank and they can be larger than the battery electric vehicles that rely on heavy batteries. Filling up a fuel-cell vehicle takes about three to five minutes and is similar to traditional gas cars that receive liquid gas.
California requires at least 33 percent of the hydrogen used by fuel-cell cars to be from renewable energy sources. Some stations will dispense 100 percent renewable hydrogen. Hydrogen refueling stations and vehicles are safe. They have been around for at least 20 years, supporting transit buses.
With transportation responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, zero-emission cars, such as hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars, can help California reach its climate change goals and reduce air pollution. That’s why the Energy Commission is funding hydrogen refueling stations and electric vehicle chargers.
See the status and locations of these stations here.
Progress Continues on Community-scale Microgrid at Blue Lake Rancheria
When ceremonial shovels hit the dirt last August, it signaled the start of construction of a $6.3 million, renewable energy microgrid system at the Blue Lake Rancheria, a Native American reservation about 15 miles northeast of Eureka.
Real shovels have been at work since then, and progress continues on the project. Construction began recently on a 500 kilowatt solar array, which will become the largest in Humboldt County when completed this summer.
“Many aspects of the project are ahead of schedule, and all the partners have demonstrated exceptional commitment to deliver a showcase project to many stakeholders,” said Jana Ganion, energy director for the Rancheria site.
The project is a collaboration between the Blue Lake Rancheria and the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University. Funding includes a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission’s Electric Program Investment Charge program.
The Rancheria covers about 100 acres in a fairly isolated area subject to interruptions from the electrical grid. The microgrid, which can operate independent of the larger grid, will combine solar power, battery storage and advanced controls to provide reliable power for the reservation’s day-to-day energy needs and during outages and contingencies; important since the Rancheria is a designated emergency evacuation center where county residents would go during a natural disaster. The reservation supports an American Red Cross-certified shelter and an emergency operations center.
The microgrid will also reduce fossil fuel use by up to 40 percent and increase demand response capabilities to ease pressure on the larger grid.
"This project shows the type of leadership and partnership that can advance California's climate and renewable energy goals, help transform our energy system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Energy Commissioner Karen Douglas last year as she and other leaders dug their ceremonial shovels into the soil during the groundbreaking and pitched a scoopful of dirt.
The Blue Lake Rancheria is one of 16 communities selected as a 2015–2016 Climate Action Champion by the Obama Administration for exceptional work in response to climate change.
California Energy Commission Awarded Clean Energy Award for New Solar Homes Partnership
Timothy Tutt (President of the CESA Board) and Elizabeth Hutchison (NSHP Program Lead at CEC) |
The NSHP program was one of six programs nationwide to win an award from the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA), a nonprofit coalition of public agencies working together to advance clean energy.
The NSHP, a component of the comprehensive California Solar Initiative (CSI), provides financial incentives and other support to builders, developers, and homeowners to encourage the construction of new, energy-efficient solar homes.
As of January 2016, the NSHP has installed or reserved funds for 141.8 megawatt of solar capacity.
It has already helped boost the new home solar penetration rate in the state from less than 1 percent to more than 20 percent. Over time, participation in the NSHP has grown dramatically – by 321 percent - between 2009 and 2016, according to an Energy Commission report.
The NSHP program focuses on new home construction as a way to lower upfront installation costs of solar energy systems by incorporating the systems seamlessly into the design of a building and installing the photovoltaic system while other construction activities are underway.
“We’re honored to get this award from CESA for our work on the New Solar Homes Partnership program,” said Energy Commissioner David Hochschild. “The award acknowledges the impact that the NHSP program has had in helping homebuilders build greener homes that use less energy, save money, and reduce pollution.”
The Clean Energy Award was established as a biennial award to highlight model programs and projects that have accelerated the adoption of clean energy technologies and strengthened clean energy markets.
The recipients of the awards were chosen by an independent panel of five distinguished judges, each with years of experience in clean energy.
California Shares Best Practices Integrating Renewable Energy and Clean Transportation Policies with China
Building off of the Clean Energy Ministerial 7 and the Subnational Clean Energy Ministerial gatherings, California sent a state delegation to Beijing, China, last week to participate in the United States-China Climate-Leaders Summit and Power Sector Reforms dialogue.
California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller led the delegation, which included representatives from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
The China trip helps support Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.’s initiatives to expand trade and collaborate on efforts to combat climate change and advance clean energy.
During the visit, Weisenmiller shared California’s experience integrating large amounts of central-scale variable and intermittent renewable energy resources into the state’s century-old electric system. He discussed the challenges and actions California is taking to address them, such as regionalizing the state’s wholesale power market and electric transmission system operations throughout the western United States.
Weisenmiller also participated in a series of conversations with China State Grid and the National Energy Administration about California’s experiences implementing structural reforms to the states power sector, including electric utility revenue decoupling, deregulation and electric system planning. China is very interested in reforming its power sector to enhance electric system planning capabilities, assist in integrating renewable energy resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and improve the economic efficiency of China’s power markets.
Representatives from CARB and the Governor’s Office of Planning of Research spoke on a panel about California’s low-carbon transportation policy successes, such as developing public transportation systems and vehicle emission performance standards.
The delegation met with representatives from the Chinese Huadian Corporation to discuss California’s clean energy markets and regulatory landscape. They also met with officials from the Department of Climate Change within the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission and the Municipality of Beijing to solidify the state’s clean energy and climate change cooperation with China.
Consumer Notice: Phone “Spoofing” Scam Hits Energy Commission Call Center
On a typical day, the public can call the California Energy Commission's toll-free Renewable Call Center phone number to get information or help on renewable energy programs like Energy Upgrade California, the New Solar Homes Partnership, or the California Solar Initiative.
But last week the Energy Commission learned that scam artists have been using the Renewable Call Center phone number as part of a “spoofing” scam to solicit installation of solar systems or to gain utility bill information.
In the scam, a third party has been misrepresenting itself by using the Renewable Call Center number as the caller ID. Hundreds of consumers were called last week, although the calls have greatly diminished as of Monday and Tuesday.
The Energy Commission is now working with law enforcement to rectify the situation. Consumers are being asked to be alert for phone scams that may use the Energy Commission’s name or phone number.
Consumers should know that the Energy Commission does not make unsolicited calls to consumers for any reason, and if someone calls and says they are from the Energy Commission it is a scam and should be reported to law enforcement.
The new Renewable Call Center toll-free number is: 844-421-6229, or 916-653-0237 when calling outside California. The call center takes calls from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Energy Commission apologizes for the inconvenience this has caused.
New Plan for California’s Investments in Alternative Fuels and Vehicles
The California Energy Commission has approved a new plan for investing in alternative fuel and vehicle technology. The Energy Commission provides up to $100 million annually for technology to reduce the state’s reliance on fossil fuels, curtail greenhouse gases and meet clean air standards.
Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for about 23 percent of on-road greenhouse gas emissions. Under the 2016-17 Investment Plan Update, investments in technology for these vehicles will increase by $3 million to $23 million. The boost in funding will support the California Sustainable Freight Action Plan, and may foster intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles and specialized refueling, such as higher voltage chargers for heavy-duty electric trucks.
These projects, funded through the Energy Commission's Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (ARFVTP), reduce the state’s reliance on petroleum and helps California with its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emission to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The Sustainable Freight Action Plan will establish targets, policies and programs to improve freight efficiency, transition freight vehicles to clean-air technologies and keep the state’s freight system competitive.
The Energy Commission is also exploring emerging opportunities such as producing hydrogen from renewable power sources. Some hydrogen refueling stations already use electrolysis to produce 100 percent renewable hydrogen in modest volumes. Renewable hydrogen potentially could be used to store surplus renewable energy and to produce large volumes of hydrogen as a transportation fuel or to inject in pipelines.
For more about the new investment plan and the ARFVTP, click here.
Nuevo Plan de Inversiones de California en Combustibles Alternativas y VehÃculos
La Comisión de EnergÃa de California ha aprobado un nuevo plan para invertir en combustibles alternativas y tecnologÃa de vehÃculos. La Comisión de EnergÃa proporciona $100 millones anualmente para tecnologÃa para reducir la dependencia de fósiles combustibles en el estado, acortar gases de invernaderos y alcanzar normas de aire limpio.
VehÃculos de tamaños medianos y pesados son responsables de alrededor del 23 por ciento de las emisiones de gases de invernaderos en la carretera. Bajo de la Actualización del Plan de Inversión de 2016-17, inversiones en tecnologÃa para estos vehÃculos incrementará de $3 milliones a $23 milliones. El incremento en fondos soportará el Plan de Acción de Carga de Mercancia Sustentable de California, y puede fomenter sistemas inteligentes de transporte, vehÃculos autonomicas y reabastecimiento especializados, tal como cargadores de alta voltaje para camionetas pesadas eléctricas.
Estos proyectos, fundado como parte de la programa de Combustibles Alternativas y Renovable y TecnologÃa VehÃculo de La Comisión de EnergÃa (ARFVTP), reduciran la dependencia de California sobre el petróleo y se ayuda con California su meta de reducir emisiones de gases de invernadero a 80 por ciento menos de niveles 1990 en el año 2050.
El Plan de Acción de Carga de Mercancias de Sostenible establecerá objetivos, polÃticas, y programas para mejorar la eficiencia de carga de mercancÃas, la transición de vehÃculos de carga de mercancÃas al tecnologÃa de aire limpio y mantener el Sistema de transporte de mercancÃas de California como competitiva.
La Comisión de EnergÃa también está explorando oportunidades emergentes tal como producir hidrógeno desde fuentes de electricidad renovable. Ciertas estaciones de reabastecimiento de hidrógeno ya usan electrólisis para producir 100 por ciento hidrógeno renovable en volúmenes modestos. Hidrógeno renovable tiene potencial de ser usado para guardar el exceso de energÃa renovable y tambÃen producir volúmenes grandes de hidrógeno tal como un combustible de transportación o para inyectar en las tuberÃas.
Para más información sobre el nuevo plan de inversión y el ARFVTP, haz click aquÃ.
New Solar Homes Partnership Program Spurs Dramatic Increase in Solar System Installs in New Homes
The number of solar systems installed in new homes has increased dramatically as a result of the California Energy Commission’s New Solar Homes Partnership program (NSHP), with that growth poised to continue as a result of today’s California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) decision to provide $111.78 million in continuation funding for the program.
Participation in the NSHP program has increased 321 percent between 2009 and 2016, according to an Energy Commission report.
“We welcome the CPUC’s decision to support the New Solar Homes Partnership program which helps homebuilders build greener homes in California that use less energy, save money, and reduce pollution,” said Energy Commissioner David Hochschild.
The program, an integral part of California’s effort to provide clean, renewable electricity as part of the state’s six-year-old Solar Initiative, provides financial incentives and other support to homeowners, builders, and developers to encourage the construction of new, energy-efficient solar homes.
Statewide, the program accounts for 169 megawatts (MW) of solar generating activity and $242 million in incentives, according to the Energy Commission report.
The CPUC’s decision will help California reach its goal of achieving 360 MW of installed solar electric capacity on new homes by the end of the year. The $400 million program is available to customers of four investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in California that include Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Bear Valley Electric Service.
The funds will help meet the goal of installing solar electric systems on 50 percent of all new homes built by the end of the year. Participation in the program has increased steadily since the low point of new home construction in 2009. Home builders like Lennar and KB Homes now include solar as a standard feature in their recent developments.
Southern California leads the state in NSHP participation with 6,422,500 accounts. There were 5,400,000 in Northern California, according to data from the five IOUs.
A focus of the program is encouraging participation in affordable housing communities. As of 2014, nearly a quarter of solar systems were installed in communities with average household incomes below $50,000.
Participation in the NSHP program has increased 321 percent between 2009 and 2016, according to an Energy Commission report.
“We welcome the CPUC’s decision to support the New Solar Homes Partnership program which helps homebuilders build greener homes in California that use less energy, save money, and reduce pollution,” said Energy Commissioner David Hochschild.
The program, an integral part of California’s effort to provide clean, renewable electricity as part of the state’s six-year-old Solar Initiative, provides financial incentives and other support to homeowners, builders, and developers to encourage the construction of new, energy-efficient solar homes.
Statewide, the program accounts for 169 megawatts (MW) of solar generating activity and $242 million in incentives, according to the Energy Commission report.
The CPUC’s decision will help California reach its goal of achieving 360 MW of installed solar electric capacity on new homes by the end of the year. The $400 million program is available to customers of four investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in California that include Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and Bear Valley Electric Service.
The funds will help meet the goal of installing solar electric systems on 50 percent of all new homes built by the end of the year. Participation in the program has increased steadily since the low point of new home construction in 2009. Home builders like Lennar and KB Homes now include solar as a standard feature in their recent developments.
Southern California leads the state in NSHP participation with 6,422,500 accounts. There were 5,400,000 in Northern California, according to data from the five IOUs.
A focus of the program is encouraging participation in affordable housing communities. As of 2014, nearly a quarter of solar systems were installed in communities with average household incomes below $50,000.
R&D Reaps Millions of Dollars in Savings and Benefits for California Ratepayers
The return on investment for an $11.4 million California Energy Commission research and development grant is looking good – really good.
A new report by the Energy Commission’s research and development program found that investing in research for synchrophasors will save Californians up to $360 million in avoided customer outages costs because of the increased reliability in the electricity delivery system. There is also another $90 million a year in economic benefits.
Synchrophasor applications monitor stresses to the electric power grid. They provide information to grid operators enabling automatic feedback and system corrections. Synchrophasors will decrease the risk of major power outages.
Synchrophasor data will help anticipate when power lines are congested and permit real-time pricing that encourages customers to use less electricity when lines are congested and more when lines have unused capacity. Synchrophasors can also be used to provide operators with a more accurate view of renewable energy generation and help avoid instability when renewable energy is high and demand is low.
The research report found the increased use of existing wind generation could save ratepayers an estimated $25 million to $150 million a year in lower electricity rates.
About a quarter of the anticipated benefits are achieved by helping grid operators use renewable resources and transmission equipment more reliably and efficiently. Synchrophasor research can help California achieve the 2030 goals to increase the electricity derived from renewable resources to 50 percent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels.
Santa Monica Station Joins Hydrogen Refueling Network
The California Energy Commission welcomed another new hydrogen refueling station to its network.
The Santa Monica station, now open at 1819 Cloverfield Boulevard, provides Californians with the fueling options they need to consider replacing their petroleum-fueled cars with hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles. Fuel-cell cars, like all-electric plug-in cars, do not emit smog-forming pollution. They help California reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the earth and change its climate.
The Energy Commission has provided funding for 49 hydrogen stations. It is working to ensure as many of them as possible are open by the end of 2016 with plans to fund up to 100 for the initial introduction of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles in the California marketplace.
Hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars are much quieter to drive than gasoline-fueled cars. Fuel-cell cars have about the same range – 300 miles – on a full tank and they can be larger than the battery electric vehicles that rely on heavy batteries. Filling up a fuel-cell vehicle takes about three to five minutes and is similar to traditional gas cars that receive liquid gas.
California requires at least 33 percent of the hydrogen used by fuel-cell cars to be from renewable energy sources. Some stations will dispense 100 percent renewable hydrogen. Hydrogen refueling stations and vehicles are safe. They have been around for at least 20 years, supporting transit buses.
With transportation responsible for 37 percent of California’s greenhouse gases, zero-emission cars, such as hydrogen fuel-cell electric cars, can help California reach its climate change goals and reduce air pollution. That’s why the Energy Commission is funding hydrogen refueling stations and electric vehicle chargers.
See the status and locations of these stations here.
Energy Commission Chair Speaks on California’s Energy Policy At Stanford University
California Energy Commission Chair Robert Weisenmiller told a crowd of energy leaders today about the need for California to think globally in combating climate change.
"California emits only 1 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, but we need to think globally about reducing emissions or it won't matter,” Weisenmiller said.
Weisenmiller was the keynote speaker at the Silicon Valley Energy Summit, which drew more than 400 people to Stanford University.
The conference gathered energy leaders to find and invest in the technologies that make economical, sustainable and secure energy a reality.
California's leadership role in climate change was on display earlier this week at the first Subnational Clean Energy Ministerial (Sub-CEM), which was held in San Francisco. The inaugural Sub-CEM highlighted action from states, provinces and cities to use cleaner energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The event featured Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and other subnational leaders from the United States, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Spain, Italy, China and India.
During his speech at Stanford, Weisenmiller shared California’s energy goals, which include increasing California’s electricity from renewable sources to 50 percent and doubling the efficiency in existing buildings.
"We don't know the precise roadmap so we need to gather our intellectual capital to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” he said.
California expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. This creates bountiful opportunities for entrepreneurs, businesses and venture capitalists in the green energy sector, he said.
Subnational Governments Committed to Fight Against Climate Change Gather in San Francisco
Mayors, governors, ministers and other regional leaders from around the world involved in the fight against climate change gathered today for the inaugural Subnational Clean Energy Ministerial (Sub-CEM) in San Francisco.
The meeting on June 1 and June 2 is being held in conjunction with the seventh Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7), an annual meeting of national energy ministers and other high-level delegates from 23 member countries and the European Commission.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. said the fight against climate change needs to continue.
“We have to renew our commitment, deepen our understanding and intensify efforts,” he said.
The inaugural Sub-CEM highlights action from states, provinces and cities to use cleaner energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to Governor Brown, the event featured Oregon Governor Kate Brown, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and other subnational leaders from the United States, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Spain, Italy, China and India.
California Energy Commission Chair Robert B. Weisenmiller welcomed the crowd of more than 250 Sub-CEM attendees.
“As signatories, endorsers and supporters of the Under 2 MOU, we must accelerate the transition to clean energy resources on a rapid scale to achieve the aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals outlined in this agreement,” Weisenmiller said.
This gathering complements the CEM7, which brings together national energy ministers and other high-level delegates to promote policies and share best practices to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. Both events offer the opportunity to discuss how states, provinces, cities and countries will follow through on the commitments made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.
Sub-CEM is open to subnational jurisdictions that have signed or endorsed the Under 2 MOU agreement, which is a global pact of subnational jurisdictions spearheaded by California and the German state of Baden-Württemberg to limit the increase in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Celsius.
Seven new Under 2 MOU signatories were announced today, including Teleangana, India and Laikipia County, Kenya. With those additions, 135 jurisdictions representing 31 countries and six continents have now signed or endorsed the Under 2 MOU, representing more than 783 million people and $21 trillion in gross domestic product, equivalent to 27 percent of the global economy.
Governor Brown participated in a panel with Oregon Governor Brown, Governor Inslee and British Columbia Environment Minister Mary Polak to discuss the need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to cleaner fuels and the rapid scaling and expansion of renewable energy worldwide.
The four leaders from the Pacific Coast Collaborative—a partnership between the premier of British Columbia and governors of California, Oregon and Washington— also joined mayors and representatives of six West Coast cities, including San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles, to sign an agreement to highlight their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.