Thank You for Support
Home
Welcome to the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization (SJVCEO). We are a non-profit located in the heart of California tasked and dedicated to leading the eight-county region that makes up the San Joaquin Valley. Our vision is to help improve the quality of life by significantly increasing the Valley's use and reliance on clean energy (energy efficiency and renewable energy sources).
Read MoreClean Energy News - View Blog
The State of the Climate from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and issued this week spells out a pretty bleak picture of environmental trends. The report tapped the talents of more than 300 scientists from 48 countries who analyzed data on 37 climate indicators, including sea ice, glaciers and air temperatures.
"The earth is growing warmer and has been for more than three decades," the report says. "A warmer climate means higher sea level, humidity and temperatures in the air and ocean. A warmer climate also means less snow cover, melting Arctic sea ice and shrinking glaciers."
While some dispute the global warming finding, results of a poll released this week indicate continued support in California for AB 32, the embattled state law that calls for Californians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The report by the Public Policy Institute of California shows 67 percent supporting the law.
Ten key indicators stand out in the State of the Climate report, and all indicate warming trends. Those indicators were ocean heat content, air temperature near surface, temperature over oceans, temperatures over land, humidity, sea level, snow cover, glaciers and sea ice.
The report said most of that heat -- 90 percent-- is being absorbed by the ocean. "Warming has been observed as far as 6,000 feet below the surface, but most of the heat is accumulating in the oceans’ near-surface layers, the report says. "The implications are considerable. First, because water expands as it warms, ocean heating is responsible for much of the sea-level rise we’ve observed. Melting of land-based ice is
responsible for the rest."
The report also said despite fluctuations, such as last year's cold snap in the middle and eastern regions of the United States, the average temperatures continues to climb.
For more on the report and poll, read KQED's Climate Watch.
Photo: Satellite imagery from NOAA shows the decline of Arctic Sea ice over the past 30 years. Both images were taken when the ice was at its lowest in September.
Posted on July 29, 2010 | 11:28 am
State Energy Officials Consider Alternatives To PACE
California energy officials stood by the embattled PACE program today, but said they also will consider alternatives to the plan that has drawn fire from a federal housing finance agency.
California Energy Commission staffers were adamant that the Federal Housing Finance Agency was wrong, and is essentially punishing homeowners, by derailing Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs that several counties in California were undertaking.
But commissioners also acknowledged the obstacles - and wanted to ensure $30 million in PACE financing doesn't disappear because it's not committed by the Dec. 31 deadline. So, they reluctantly agreed to consider a Plan B if Plan A - PACE - falls apart. They are scheduled to revisit the issue Aug. 6.
Claudia Chandler, chief deputy director of the CEC, said the staff is conducting a "full-court press" to come up with an alternative. Failing that, the ultimate fall back is to add the $30 million to an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act energy-conservation loan program that has considerable demand.
Chandler and others said PACE remains the preferred option because it enables homeowners to cut energy bills, add value to their homes and creates jobs. In Sonoma County, an in-progress PACE program has financed more than 1,000 upgrades in 16 months, put $30 million of new investment into the community and directly and indirectly created an estimated 330 jobs.
Sonoma County plans to keep its PACE program regardless of concerns by the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the two mortgage giants it oversees, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, said John Haig, energy and sustainability manager for Sonoma County.
PACE was designed to allow California homeowners to finance energy-efficiency upgrades through an assessment on their property tax. FHFA opposed the program, saying the PACE debt takes priority of mortgage debt.
California officials say that's not true. The assessments are tied to the property, not to the borrower, and data shows pilot PACE programs have default rates significantly below mortgage debt. And they pressed their case in court when Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a lawsuit July 14 against Fannie and Freddie.
Sonoma County also has filed suit, and an array of legislators have submitted bills to keep up the PACE. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he is willing to add PACE language to a watered-down energy bill if a Republican joins in, according to grist, an online clean-energy publication.
The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region
California Energy Commission staffers were adamant that the Federal Housing Finance Agency was wrong, and is essentially punishing homeowners, by derailing Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs that several counties in California were undertaking.
But commissioners also acknowledged the obstacles - and wanted to ensure $30 million in PACE financing doesn't disappear because it's not committed by the Dec. 31 deadline. So, they reluctantly agreed to consider a Plan B if Plan A - PACE - falls apart. They are scheduled to revisit the issue Aug. 6.
Claudia Chandler, chief deputy director of the CEC, said the staff is conducting a "full-court press" to come up with an alternative. Failing that, the ultimate fall back is to add the $30 million to an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act energy-conservation loan program that has considerable demand.
Chandler and others said PACE remains the preferred option because it enables homeowners to cut energy bills, add value to their homes and creates jobs. In Sonoma County, an in-progress PACE program has financed more than 1,000 upgrades in 16 months, put $30 million of new investment into the community and directly and indirectly created an estimated 330 jobs.
Sonoma County plans to keep its PACE program regardless of concerns by the Federal Housing Finance Agency and the two mortgage giants it oversees, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, said John Haig, energy and sustainability manager for Sonoma County.
PACE was designed to allow California homeowners to finance energy-efficiency upgrades through an assessment on their property tax. FHFA opposed the program, saying the PACE debt takes priority of mortgage debt.
California officials say that's not true. The assessments are tied to the property, not to the borrower, and data shows pilot PACE programs have default rates significantly below mortgage debt. And they pressed their case in court when Attorney General Jerry Brown filed a lawsuit July 14 against Fannie and Freddie.
Sonoma County also has filed suit, and an array of legislators have submitted bills to keep up the PACE. In addition, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he is willing to add PACE language to a watered-down energy bill if a Republican joins in, according to grist, an online clean-energy publication.
The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region
Posted on July 28, 2010 | 2:53 pm
Electric cars are coming to a showroom near you
Meanwhile, GM ended nearly three years of speculation by announcing today that it will slap a $41,000 price on the base model of its electric automobile. "Taking the $7,500 tax credit into account, the net cost to the buyer will thus be $33,500," according to gm-volt.com. "GM is pricing the car’s lease price much more aggressively. The three-year, 36-month lease payment will be $350 per month with $2,500 down payment."
Nissan priced its Leaf at $32,780, according to Peter Whoriskey of the Washington Post.
"At those prices, the cars are considerably more expensive than comparably sized cars that run on gas, such as the Honda Civic or the Ford Focus, each of which costs under $20,000," Whoriskey writes.
"Moreover, General Motors is hoping the Volt's added capability will attract buyers who are considering the Leaf. The Volt's battery -- with a range of 40 miles -- is supplemented by a gasoline-powered generator that allows it to go another 340 miles. The Leaf has a range of 100 miles on its battery."
The marketability of both cars remains untested. After a boost provided by initial media attention, sales could stagnate. The uncertainty over the technology and an unwillingness by the American public to adapt to different requirements of a new technology could further erode potential market share.
However, both automakers are staking millions of dollars on their electric cars. And although pricing remains a question many speculate the clean cars will find fans. Here's a post from nuclearboy on gm-volt.com: "They deserve this price and the car is worth far more than a 100 mile range BEV (battery electric vehicle). Everyone of them will sell. Demand for them will spur on the process of developing Volt Version 2.0."
In addition to California, Nissan will sell its Leaf in Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Tennessee. The company said the areas are home to the EV Project, an effort partly funded by a U.S. Department of Energy and under partnership with ECOtality to provide charging stations.
The Leaf will be introduced to Texas and Hawaii in January 2011; to North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina and Alabama in April 2011; and to the rest of the country a year from now.
"Consumer feedback and market readiness have been key drivers in developing our phased rollout," said Brian Carolin, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Nissan North America. "Nissan is able to target areas of customer demand for early launch, while continuing to work in future markets to ensure the continued success of electric vehicles."
Posted on July 27, 2010 | 12:05 pm
Market for biomass energy to grow 18% in next decade, study says
Boulder, Colo.-based Pike Research in its report Biomass Markets and Technologies cited continued "significant investments" in biomass research and development and the pace of commercializing new technologies. Advances made in cellulosic ethanol, which can be made from relatively cheap to produce switch grass rather than corn, and algae are among those advances.
“Biomass will continue to be the leading source of renewable energy,” said Clint Wheelock, Pike Research managing director, in a statement. “While it does not have the celebrity appeal of solar, wind or other emerging technologies, biomass is an affordable and reliable form of power generation. In addition, we expect continued growth in the adoption of biofuels during the next decade, as well as a proliferation of bioproducts such as plastics and chemicals.”
That may be good news for Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol, which has an idled plant in Madera County and whose stock is hovering around the 50 cents-per-share mark. The company is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy but reached an agreement with creditors in June and expects to restart its idled plants soon.
Biomass, as defined by Pike for the purposes of its report, also includes corn and grains, plants and forest resources, construction and industry waste, food industry wastes and municipal waste.
Wheelock said applications for biomass range from power generation to heating, transportation fuels, chemicals and plastics. He said development of the biomass industry is driven by government policies and mandates and, "while world governments are likely to back away from some of the aggressive targets set a few years ago, Pike Research anticipates that biomass will continue to be a significant focus for energy policymakers."
Photo: Courtesy Pike Research.
Posted on July 27, 2010 | 10:44 am
Report links national security to energy independence
"America's current energy posture undermines our economic security and constitutes a serious and urgent threat to our national security," said officials of CNA, a not-for-profit research and analysis firm based in Alexandria, Va. that released the report.
The Defense Department is uniquely positioned to spur clean energy innovation "because of its size, the considerable amount of energy it consumes and its extensive experience in technological innovation," says the report, issued by CNA's Military Advisory Board. "DoD is in a position to help drive this change -- for itself and the nation as a whole."
CNA says the board is made up of 15 top-ranking admirals and generals.
The report, Powering America's Economy: Energy Innovation at the Crossroads of National Security, says that without a strong economy, the United States has neither a strong defense, nor effective international influence.
"We need to remain competitive in the world as we move toward a future of green, sustainable energy," said Gen. Charles F. "Chuck" Wald, USAF (Ret.), in a statement. "The biggest motivation to do it is national security."
The report draws similarities of the race to get a man into space back in the 1960s between the U.S. and USSR. It lists China, Spain, Germany and even the United Arab Emirates as pushing forward with greater gusto and success than the United States in the realm of green energy innovation. Failure to develop its own technology would again require the U.S. to depend on foreign nations to meet future energy needs, the report says.
U.S. military might could eliminate that concern. "Numerous widely adopted technologies, including the jet engine, gas turbines, solid-state electronics, and the Internet were pioneered by the United States military," the report said.
The report also said the Defense Department should partner with the U.S. Department of Energy for that agency's "robust research and development capability for energy technologies and vast knowledge base."
Gen. Gordon Sullivan (Ret.), chairman of CNA's Military Advisory Board, said, "The DoD-DoE partnership, which has been successful in the past, could be instrumental in the move away from fossil fuels if there is a willingness to empower this team to seek clean, renewable, and economical sources of power for domestic use."
The report said the U.S. government "should take bold and aggressive action to support clean energy technology innovation and significantly decrease the nation's dependence on fossil fuels."
The CNA Military Advisory Board also produced the 2007 report "National Security and the Threat of Climate Change" and the 2009 report "Powering America's Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security." Its roster includes retired 2-, 3- and 4-star flag and general officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve. The board includes a former Army Chief of Staff, commanders of U.S. forces in global regions, and leaders in logistics, procurement, research and development, engineering, nuclear energy and ocean management.
The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.
Posted on July 27, 2010 | 10:40 am