Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags Leave a comment on Cloverdale puts off public power decision

Cloverdale puts off public power decision

Clark Mason, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Cloverdale City Council has said it’s premature to join a public power agency intended to supplant PG&E as the city’s primary source of electricity.

Citing the need for more information, Council members Wednesday night declined tocommit to the proposed Sonoma Clean Power Authority, but left the door open to doing so in the future.

via Cloverdale says no, for now, to county power agency | Watch Sonoma County.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch

Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch

Guy Kovner, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sonoma County officials made their first pitch for a public power agency on Tuesday night to the Sebastopol City Council, with seven more stops to go in a campaign to enroll eight cities in a plan to challenge PG&E’s monopoly as a power provider.

Sebastopol officials indicated at the start of the county’s presentation that it would not commit on Tuesday to joining the proposed Sonoma Clean Power, which expects to begin delivering power in January.

via Sebastopol listens to public power agency pitch | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects

Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects

Richard Halstead, MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

The Marin Energy Authority decided this week to begin setting aside money to develop its own renewable energy generation projects within its jurisdictional boundaries, which include all of Marin County and the city of Richmond.

The authority’s board Thursday gave its unanimous approval to the creation of a "local renewable development fund." The fund will be fed by half of the revenue generated each year from the authority’s "Deep Green" program. The authority has set a goal of creating 14 megawatts of new solar capacity within its jurisdiction by 2019.

via Marin Energy Authority moving ahead with plan to build its own solar projects – Marin Independent Journal.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , Leave a comment on Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction

Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction

Guy Kovner, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Sebastopol, the small town of 7,400 tucked next to the green hills of west Sonoma County, would seem to have little in common with Lancaster, a high desert city of 146,000 located 400 miles away in northeast Los Angeles County.

via Sebastopol poised to add solar requirement to new construction | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Sustainable LivingTags , , Leave a comment on Board to vote on Sonoma Clean Power Tuesday, April 23, 9:00am

Board to vote on Sonoma Clean Power Tuesday, April 23, 9:00am

Climate Protection Campaign

Sonoma Clean Power, the county initiative to purchase greener electricity, comes back to the Board for a vote on April 23rd. Topics include potential rates, start-up financing, and marketing services. Please attend and show support.

The most recent story in the Press Democrat:
Eleven bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Sustainable Living, TransportationTags , Leave a comment on Electric vehicles at 'Day on the Green'

Electric vehicles at 'Day on the Green'

Enviro Updates

The North Bay Electric Auto Association and Sierra Club’s Sonoma Group co-sponsored a show and tell of electric vehicles at Montgomery Village’s ‘Day on the Green’ in Santa Rosa today. Dealers and enthusiasts brought Leafs, Volts, Fits, Priuses, Teslas and home-converted vehicles to exhibit.
Electric cars are growing in popularity in the North Bay, and charging stations are multiplying. For a current list of stations, go to plugshare.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags Leave a comment on 11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County

Brett Wilkison, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Ten companies and one nonprofit agency are competing for an initial contract to provide electricity to Sonoma County homes and businesses through the county’s proposed public power agency.

The bids are for a contract of at least three years with an estimated worth of about $340 million, according to county officials. The program seeks to displace PG&E as the area’s dominant electricity supplier, a move that supporters say would boost support for renewable energy and spur investment in local power projects.

via 11 bidders compete to provide power to Sonoma County | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Land Use, WildlifeTags , Leave a comment on Scientists Question Impact as Vineyards Turn Up in New Places

Scientists Question Impact as Vineyards Turn Up in New Places

Felicity Barringer, THE NEW YORK TIMES

For more than a decade, wine experts have discussed the impact of climate change on wine grapes, agriculture’s diva, a marquee crop nurtured and pampered around the world.

Now scientists are raising a new question: when grapes are transported to new areas, assuming warming weather and flagging rain make current regions unsuited to such harvests, what will the crop’s arrival do to the animals and plants already in residence?

via Scientists Question Impact as Vineyards Turn Up in New Places – NYTimes.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & EnergyTags , , Leave a comment on Court deals blow to county energy retrofit program SCEIP

Court deals blow to county energy retrofit program SCEIP

Brett Wilkison, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A legal fight to protect a program that allows Sonoma County residents to pay for energy-saving retrofits to their homes through property taxes was dealt a significant and possibly final setback last week.

via Court deals blow to county energy retrofit program | PressDemocrat.com.

Posted on Categories Climate Change & Energy, Local OrganizationsTags , , , Leave a comment on County Creates Sonoma Clean Power

County Creates Sonoma Clean Power

CLIMATE PROTECTION CAMPAIGN
The Board of the Sonoma County Water Agency and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today created a joint powers authority to oversee Sonoma Clean Power, a proposed local program to buy and generate electricity for residents and businesses.
Three local organizations hailed the move and pledged to work with the new Sonoma Clean Power Authority, while cautioning that the power provider must be run like a competitive business venture rather than a government program. Climate Protection Campaign, Sonoma County Alliance, and the North Coast Builders Exchange each communicated their concerns to county officials.
“For Sonoma Clean Power to be successful in local job creation as well as greenhouse gas reduction, it must be run by proven energy entrepreneurs with a competitive mentality,” said Ann Hancock, Executive Director of the Climate Protection Campaign.
via County Creates Sonoma Clean Power | Climate Protection Campaign.