The Energy Resource Center ( ERC) has a vast array of books, periodicals, DVDs and tools to assist businesses and home owners with energy efficiency products, services and practices. Books, periodicals and DVDs can be checked out free of charge. Please call toll-free: 1-866-SDENERGY for more information. For a look at tools and resources available in the lending library, click here.

ERC Featured Display

Name: Refrigeration Cycle Display

Description: The refrigeration cycle display illustrates all the parts and principles of a vapor-compression system, such as one might find in a refrigerator or air conditioner. The display uses environmental friendly refrigerant and water to operate and contains various temperature and pressure readouts for use in demonstrations.

ERC Featured Instrument

Name: ThermaCAM T360 Infrared Camera Tool# 40.1

The ThermaCAM® T360 functionality allows for easier identification and interpretation of infrared images. The new thermal fusion-function combines real – and infrared pictures – without altering the relevant temperature data. The T360 camera does this in real-time and the overlay function can be easily adjusted to suit any application such as electrical surveys, building diagnostics and mechanical inspections.
Features include:

• Thermal fusion functionality
• Interchangeable optics
• Automatically associates the visual and thermal JPEG images
• Removable SD/memory card, USB & video out
• Onscreen thumbnail image gallery
• Auto hot/cold spot & audible/visual alarms
• Large 3.5" color LCD display
• High thermal sensitivity for maximum temperature accuracy
• Built-in LaserLocatIR™
• Optics head & display screen are independently rotatable for optimum viewing
• Holster for portability and easy access to camera
• Target Illuminator and 1.3 mega pixel visual camera
• Touch screen text/sketch functionality

Availability: Loaned free of charge for up to two business days.
Remember: Safety first!

ERC Featured Book

Name: The Natural House

Author: Daniel D. Chiras

Description: The Natural House is a tour of the construction, costs and pros and cons of fourteen natural building methods. Straw Bale, Rammed Earth, Cob, Cordwood, Adobe, Earthbags, Papercrete, Earthships…whatever the method, the common goal is to create a house that is economical, energy efficient, nontoxic, soothing to the soul, kind to the environment and pleasing to behold. This comprehensive sourcebook offers in-depth information that will guide your search for the perfect sustainable dream home. It is a must for home builders, contractors and architects.

Author Dan Chiras shows how you can gain energy independence and reduce your environmental impact through passive solar heating and cooling techniques, solar electricity, wind power and micro-hydropower. He also explains safe, economical ways to obtain clean drinking water and treat wastewater and discusses affordable green products.

While he's an unabashed advocate of natural building techniques, Chiras takes care not to romanticize and to alert readers to avoidable pitfalls. His detailed, practical and ecologically sound advice can save tens of thousands of dollars, whether you are buying, building or renovating a natural home.

NOTE: Books, periodicals and videos can also be checked out free of charge at CCSE. Please call Toll Free: 1-866-SDENERGY for more information.

To find prior editions of "Inside the San Diego Energy Resource Center Lending Library" information, including DVD reviews, click here.

A Summary of Recent California Public Utilities Commission regulatory activity, and what it means to the average consumer, business and/or public agency:

Energy Efficiency (R.06-04-010)

What’s this?
This is the forum for initiating the next planning cycle for 2009-2011 energy efficiency ( EE) program plans, funding levels and related issues.


What’s new? On November 4, the Proposed Decision was issued, which, if approved, would deny the Petition for Modification of Decisions 07-09-043 and 08-01-042, filed by Southern California Edison Company ( SCE), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) (Joint Utilities). In the Petition for Modification, the Joint Utilities sought to modify how the first and second interim claims for energy efficiency savings would be calculated, so as to eliminate Energy Division review of interim claims for 2006 and 2007 incentives. The Proposed Decision states that first and second interim claims for 2006 and 2007 will be determined by the utility Advice Letter following the final Energy Division verification report due January 15, 2009, and in subsequent years, the claims will be determined by the process set forth in Decision 07-09-043. Opening comments were due November 24, and reply comments were due November 29. The Proposed Decision was expected to be discussed and voted upon at the California Public Utilities Commission’s ( CPUC’s) December 4 meeting, but it was held for further review until the CPUC’s December 18 meeting.

California Solar Initiative, Self-Generation Incentive Program and Other Distributed Generation Issues (R.08-03-008)

What’s this?
This rulemaking will continue the work of R.06-03-004, developing and refining policies, rules and programs for the California Solar Initiative ( CSI) and the Self-Generation Incentive Program ( SGIP) and considering policies for the development of cost-effective, clean and reliable distributed generation ( DG).

What’s new?

CSI: On October 30, a Proposed Decision was issued, that if approved, would grant, in part, the petition for modification of Decision 06-01-024 filed jointly by SDG&E and SCE. The Proposed Decision would allow SDG&E and SCE to temporarily suspend collections from their ratepayers to fund the CSI in 2009 due to a current surplus of funds in each utility’s CSI balancing account, but would deny SDG&E and SCE’s request for an advice letter process for further modification of the schedule for collection of CSI funds from ratepayers. The Proposed Decision was signed at the CPUC’s December 4 meeting.

Also on October 30, the California Department of Community Services (CSD) filed a Petition for Modification, requesting, among other things, that third party ownership of solar energy systems be permitted in the Single-Family Low-Income (SFLI) program, as well as assignment of SFLI program incentives to such third party system owners. Due to an extension granted by the Administrative Law Judge in a Ruling on November 25, responses are due December 15.

On October 31, a Ruling was issued, requesting parties’ comments on whether the CPUC should consider modifying CSI incentives adopted in Decision 06-08-028 given recent changes in federal tax law in H.R. 1424. Due to an extension granted by the Administrative Law Judge in a Ruling on November 25, opening comments were due December 4, and reply comments are due December 15.

SGIP: At its November 21 meeting, the CPUC signed the Decision Addressing Eligible Technologies Under the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and Modifying the Process for Evaluating SGIP Program Change Requests. The final decision incorporates modifications suggested by the parties in their comments, clarifying that if technologies other than wind or fuel cells are added to the SGIP, then an advanced energy storage (AES) system coupled with those eligible technologies will be eligible to receive incentives and that any SGIP project that is currently an eligible technology, including previously installed SGIP projects, will be eligible to receive AES incentives if coupled with an eligible AES system. The final decision also removes the 3 MW incentive cap and the 5 MW size limit imposed by the proposed decision to avoid complex implementation of the incentive structure. Lastly, because of the technical nature of the revisions, the final decision allows more time for the SGIP Program Administrators (PAs) to prepare their implementation advice letter and allows the SGIP PAs to incorporate the changes to the SGIP program in the 2009 SGIP Handbook, which is currently scheduled for release on February 1, 2009, if the advice letter is approved by the Energy Division.

Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project (A.06-08-010)

What’s this?
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) seeks authority from the CPUC to construct a 500 kV transmission line in conjunction with several 230 kV transmission lines, expected to run 150 miles from the Imperial Valley to San Diego.

What’s new?
On October 31, both a Proposed Decision and an Alternate Proposed Decision were issued to ultimately address SDG&E’s Application for the Sunrise Powerlink Transmission Project. The Proposed Decision would deny SDG&E’s Application, contending that it is not needed to meet SDG&E’s renewable portfolio standard ( RPS) obligation of 20% by 2010, is not economic and will potentially generate significant ratepayer costs assuming a 20% RPS, will have many significant and unmitigated impacts on the environment, and other alternatives will meet SDG&E’s eventual reliability needs more economically and with fewer significant and unmitigated impacts on the environment. Conversely, the Alternate Proposed Decision would conditionally approve the Application to build the Sunrise Powerlink along the Final Environmentally Superior Southern Route based on the CPUC’s approval of a compliance plan by SDG&E to ensure that substantial amounts of renewable resources from the Imperial Valley will be delivered over the Sunrise Powerlink. Opening comments were due November 20, and reply comments were due November 25.

On November 18, another Alternate Proposed Decision was issued. Similar to the other Alternate Proposed Decision, this Alternate Proposed Decision would approve the Application to build the Sunrise Powerlink along the Final Environmentally Superior Southern Route; however, it contends that the Commission currently has sufficient methods to monitor, evaluate, influence and enforce SDG&E’s compliance with its policies and no additional compliance requirements are needed in order to guarantee that renewable generation is delivered via Sunrise. Opening comments regarding this Alternate Proposed Decision are due December 8, and replies are due December 15. Consideration of this matter will likely occur at the December 18 CPUC Meeting.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap (R.06-04-009)

What’s this?
Initiated out of Assembly Bill ( AB) 32, this will design and implement a greenhouse gas ( GHG) cap for the regulated electric utilities, including consideration of a GHG performance standard.

What’s new?
In related news, on October 28, the California Energy Commission ( CEC) Siting Committee conducted the first of two workshops to seek stakeholder comments on how the CEC should satisfy its responsibilities under the California Environmental Quality Act ( CEQA) to assess GHG impacts of proposed new power plants. The second workshop was then held on November 19, continuing the discussion and allowing stakeholders to respond to oral and written comments from the first workshop. Initial written comments were due November 7, and additional written comments on the topics covered in the November 19 workshop must be submitted by December 12.

For a complete list of energy-related State and Federal legislation, please visit our Web site at www.energycenter.org.