In this moment, California’s electrical grid faces no shortage of challenges. There’s the year-round risk that utility power lines will spark wildfires, and there’s the real possibility that an extreme summer heatwave will trigger more rotating blackouts. But there’s another issue looming on the horizon that California hasn’t even begun to address: replacing the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant with clean energy when it shuts down mid-decade. Read more >

Power Outages in Texas and California Have Less in Common than You Think
February 18, 2021 3:41 PM EDT
Chances are that you’ve already heard about the ongoing power outages in Texas and other nearby states. If you haven’t gotten the message already, the situation is dire and totally unprecedented. In the midst of a historic cold snap, electricity demand has outstripped supply by a massive amount. Faced with no other choice, the electrical grid operator in Texas shut off power to millions of Texans early Monday morning, and many are still without power even now. Read more >

California Energy: One Grid Under Too Many Assumptions
February 4, 2021 9:00 AM EDT
California’s energy grid is essentially a very complicated group project. But much like a group project in school, California is much more likely to meet its goal of a reliable, decarbonized energy grid if everyone actually participates and collaborates. Read more >

Five Facts about Energy Storage that Every Californian Should Know
October 26, 2020 5:56 PM EDT
If you aren’t already paying attention to energy storage, you should be. While most people admittedly don’t get giddy at the thought of a lithium ion battery, energy experts and policymakers do and they are becoming increasingly excited about the potential role energy storage can play in the future of electricity management. Read more >

El cambio climático representa un gran desafío para la gestión del agua en California
October 7, 2020 11:25 AM EDT
A pesar de que algunos políticos siguen ignorando el cambio climático, la ciencia es clara: el cambio climático ya esta aquí, es creado por seres humanos, vienen aún más impactos, y nuestras acciones son importantes.
En este blog destaco varios desafíos que está trayendo el cambio climático para la gestión del agua en California, y cómo el estado y las agencias de gestión de agua pueden responder. Este blog es un resumen de resultados obtenidos a partir de un análisis de proyecciones de modelos climáticos para el estado de California. Los detalles de la investigación se presentan en un artículo científico y en un reporte de UCS titulado Troubled Waters. Read more >