Policy & Regulatory
The Meaning of Reliability
Maintaining near 100% reliability in the electric grid continues to rely on ramping up natural gas or coal-fired generating plants during times of peak demand or unexpected shortages. Perhaps it’s time to consider a new reliability—one that provides dependable service through a variety of renewable and low-carbon power generation strategies that dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Exploring Options for Solar PV Permitting and Interconnection
Solar energy is a key component of state and local government objectives to achieve climate action plans, but current permitting requirements for rooftop installations continue to create barriers to low-cost, rapid solar adoption. While nonutility solar supplied only 2.2% of the U.S.
California Legislation to Strengthen Your Right to Generate Clean Energy
Can you imagine your life as you know it without electricity? We need electricity to perform most jobs, connect us with crucial information, run our infrastructure, communicate with the outside world, receive vital life support from machines and even cook food. In fact, electricity has become so essential to our daily lives that some lawmakers have sought to root the right to generate electricity into existing laws.
CSE’s Push Toward Decarbonization in the Northeast
While California leads the U.S. clean energy transformation toward decarbonization, seven Northeastern states—New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Maine—when combined, rival the Golden State in renewable energy deployment, energy efficiency (EE) and electric vehicle (EV) adoption.
Cap and Invest ‒ Existing Systems Provide Valuable Guidance
While Vermont participates in a cap-and-invest program to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electric power generation, the state failed to meet its legislated goal of a 25 percent reduction below 1990 baseline greenhouse gas (GHG) levels by 2012, and unfortunately, has increased its emissions since 2012 by 16 percent. Read More
Equinox Project and Quality of Life Dashboard Moves to Nonprofit Institute at University of San Diego
The Equinox Project, a locally recognized nonpartisan civic initiative that informs and engages the public and decision-makers in creating better solutions to regional economic and environmental challenges, is moving from CSE to The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego (USD). View Presentation
Could Wood-based Biofuel Production Ameliorate California’s Growing Wildfire Hazard?
The recent destructive and tragic Camp and Woolsey fires demonstrate how dead and dying trees present a considerable hazard throughout California’s backcountry. Read Blog
CSE Joins Alliance to Reduce Energy Use in Transportation
CSE is among a group of 13 national and regional organizations teaming up with the Alliance to Save Energy’s 50x50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency to help reduce energy use in transportation 50 percent by 2050.
CSE Supports Goal to Reduce Barriers to Microgrids
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed Senate Bill (SB) 1339 (Stern, 2018) that orders the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to examine the benefits of electrical microgrids and possibly develop a rate structure—otherwise known as a “tariff”—which can set the stage for a very promising future for greater microgrid integration into the state’s power grid.
Understanding California’s New 100% Clean Energy Mandate
Now that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed into law yet another landmark climate policy, referred to as the “100% clean energy bill,” it’s time to celebrate – but not let our guard down.
