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California Energy Circuit provides comprehensive news
and analysis regarding California's energy issues. We offer policy and political
insights—from the latest on energy reregulation to the forces behind
natural gas shortages—on a weekly basis and as breaking news occurs.
The complimentary articles listed below are free to all readers.
Other recently published articles include:
- U.S. Supreme Court Sends Refund Case Back to Ninth Circuit
- CARB Plan Leans Heavily on Power Sector
- Guest Juice: Deregulation & The Supreme Court
For full access to all Energy Circuit articles, sign up for a subscription.
Senators Told World Energy Transition Will Cost Trillions
Amount would equal 1.1 percent of world economic output.
June 27, 2008
Surfing CPUC’s Waves
Sometimes it takes a Big Kahuna.
June 20, 2008
Some Like It Hot
NEW FEATURE! - System reliability, fires, outages and general apocalypse for CA's grid during summer.
June 13, 2008
Fall Election to Include 50% Renewables Measure
Renewable energy advocates do not support it.
June 06, 2008
CLEANTECH: Verifying Offsets
Blue Source emerges as U.S. leader on offset projects.
June 02, 2008
Industry Coalition Launches AB 32 Plan
"To integrate a regulatory approach with a cap-and-trade program."
May 23, 2008
Utility Bills a Growing Problem for Californians
Just when rates are set to rise.
May 19, 2008
CLEANTECH: Silicon Still Gone
Despite news of glut, supply still said to be tight.
May 09, 2008
Gov. Rejects Call to Delay Greenhouse Gas Cuts
In a disagreement within Republican ranks.
May 02, 2008
CLEANTECH: Big (Environmental) Brother
The end of the long lunch?
April 25, 2008
CPUC Touts Solar Incentive Program
Demand said to be "robust."
April 18, 2008
PG&E Winds Up Chrome 6 Lawsuit
Around $20 million involved.
April 11, 2008
$85.7M Settlement from Energy Crisis
More than $6 billion in settlements so far.
April 04, 2008
JUICE: The Carbonator
Where is he now that it's tax season.
March 29, 2008
ENERGY MATTERS: Wall Street Hubris v. Reality
Oil output stagnant.
March 21, 2008
JUICE: Trans Mission Possible
Using land around nuclear plants for renewable energy generation.
March 14, 2008
ENERGY MATTERS: Annual Natural Gas Update
As oil climbs, gas may go along for the ride.
March 07, 2008
CLEANTECH: Sequestration in CA?
Clean Energy Systems hopes so.
February 29, 2008
CPUC Adopts Small Renewable Feed-In Tariff
Dairy projects could benefit.
February 22, 2008
Load-Based Cap History Under CPUC Proposal
Focus is on those that deliver power to grid.
February 15, 2008
CLEANTECH: Burying Carbon Dioxide
A rosy future foretold.
February 08, 2008
Proposed LNG Projects Move Slowly in Permit Process
Coast Guard suspends permit processing clock on two projects.
February 08, 2008
CEC: State Buildings Lag In Efficiency
Agency vents frustration.
February 01, 2008
Air Board Appointment Nixed by Senate
A mysterious email is cited.
January 25, 2008
Low Carbon Oxymoron: State’s Corn-Based Ethanol Increases Carbon Emissions
GREET model said to need revision.
January 23, 2008
CLEANTECH: Very Small Wind
Ducted turbines for rooftops.
January 18, 2008
Personalities Plugged In: Tough Enough to Turn LADWP Around?
David Nahai is the muni's new general manager.
January 11, 2008
Energy Matters: Car Talk
Of CAFE and Pork.
December 21, 2007
Juice: Top Ten
Plus one for good tidings.
December 14, 2007
Air Board Adopts AB 32 GHG Reduction Goal
Reporting rules and port electrification rules okayed too.
December 07, 2007
JUICE: Petrodollar Greenfare
Energy and the U.S. Dollar.
November 30, 2007
CPUC Approves Low-Income Solar Subsidy
Up to $7.00/watt.
November 16, 2007
FERC Grants Edison Higher Rate Returns for Transmission Projects
Three projects eligible.
November 16, 2007
Ferguson: Cap’n Trade’s Unintended Carbon Consequences
Will LADWP force the Cap'n to walk the plank?
November 09, 2007
Downed Lines May Have Caused Fires
Investigations continue.
November 02, 2007
JUICE: Stirling Takes the Fifth
Are dish solar projects fading?
October 19, 2007
State Aims for $100B Alternative Fuels Investment
Bill on governor's desk would help fund it.
October 12, 2007
Energy Matters: Plug-in Hybrids – Where’s the Juice?
Planning effort needed.
October 05, 2007
Aging Workforce Prompts New Mentoring Program
Utilities back effort to groom diverse students for future opportunities.
September 28, 2007
Ferguson Energy Matters: The Dollar is Worth Less
A dollar now buys two quarts of raw oil.
September 21, 2007
JUICE: Energy Platforms
Presidential candidates' energy programs examined.
September 14, 2007
Nuclear Initiative Gets Renamed
Attorney General acts on request.
September 07, 2007
Pro-Nuke Ballot Measure Under Construction
Title of initiative is at issue.
August 31, 2007
Movie Review: 11th Hour
Technology for sustainability said to be at hand.
August 24, 2007
Personalities Plugged In: Sugar Daddy Economics
A farm family poised to become an ethanol dynasty.
August 20, 2007
Energy Matters: California's Future - Solar or Nuclear?
Concentrating solar seen as most economical.
August 10, 2007
Power Project Pollution Undermines Community Choice Plan
Fresno backs out.
August 03, 2007
Fed Bill Aims to Force EPA's Hand on CA's Emissions Law
A call for state's rights.
July 27, 2007
Edison May Seek New Nuclear Site in CA
Urgency of global warming cited.
July 22, 2007
Juice: The New Alchemy
Carbon offsets explored.
July 16, 2007
Air Board History
CA's gov. is only one in a long line who attempted to change the politics of pollution.
July 05, 2007
CLEANTECH: Hydro's GHG Emissions
Methane from the depths.
June 29, 2007
LADWP Seeks Green Transmission
"The El Dorado line is still an important part of the overall western network."
June 23, 2007
Personalities Plugged In: Biofuels Pragmatist
"If we killed all the oil execs."
June 15, 2007
GUEST JUICE: More Wind, More Flexibility
Large amounts of wind power may not need fossil fuel backup.
June 08, 2007
Legislators Voice Caution on Cap & Trade
Market Advisory chair downplays role of trading.
June 01, 2007
Boxer and Brown Threaten Global Warming Waiver Suit
Federal government said bordering on malfeasance.
May 25, 2007
Guest Juice: Hallelujah, Kumbaya By Dian M. Grueneich
Agency and industry cooperation increasing.
May 18, 2007
Juice: The Biofuels Jungle
BP-UC Berkeley could taint our future energy mix.
May 11, 2007
Court Ruling on Fish Could Affect DWR Power Supplies
Shutting down water supply pumps to protect endangered fish could drive power supplies down and costs up.
April 27, 2007
Private Carbon Market Advisory Meetings Allegedly Unlawful
Closed door deliberations said to violate state open meetings law.
April 13, 2007
Solar Energy Storage May Reduce Need for Peakers
A project between Gaia and Edison raises hopes.
April 10, 2007
Businesses Quick to Seize Solar Incentives
"The commercial incentives are going quickly."
March 30, 2007
JUICE: Money Changes Everything
Venture capitalists are funding alternative energy to change energy policy.
March 28, 2007
New Offshore LNG Project on Horizon
Project seeks to minimize environmental impacts.
March 16, 2007
Biofuels Shift Could Trigger Land-Use Changes
State must consider land-use changes, as well as other effects of biofuels, say scientists.
March 09, 2007
Carbon Market Advisory Committee Looks Only at Cap & Trade
A carbon tax appears off the table.
March 02, 2007
Californians Flock to Chicago Climate Exchange
Cities and counties, but no utilities yet.
February 23, 2007
JUICE
Dairies, Dung, and AB 32
AB 32 is "the big digester."
February 16, 2007
Senate Energy Chair Says Renewables Deals Must Produce
State Senate panel presses for renewable portfolio standard compliance.
February 09, 2007
Billions of Dollars from Carbon Trading Up for Grabs
Will the trading revenue be publicly or privately owned?
January 26, 2007
Environmental Justice Tamps Air Credits
New Southern CA power plants face problems getting credits.
January 22, 2007
JUICE
If a Tree Falls in the Forest . . .
Expanding forest land can't be a bad idea.
January 12, 2007
JUICE
Mapquest
A new CEQA is needed.
January 05, 2007
JUICE
An Energy Christmas Present
The energy elves look to 2007.
December 15, 2006
JUICE
(Poli)Sea Change
The public jumps on to the energy learning curve.
December 08, 2006
JUICE
New Source Review Makeover
Fixing a broken policy.
December 01, 2006
CEC, EPA Settle Controversy over Energy Star Label
The deal will give builders credit for extra efficiency measures.
November 27, 2006
JUICE: Renewable Romances
Cash flush suitors are flocking to alternative energy developers.
November 17, 2006
Air Quality Regulators Question Biodiesel
Questions remain about the biofuel's emissions effects.
November 10, 2006
Energy, Not Veggies, Interests Growers
Imperial Valley could host energy farms.
November 03, 2006
GUEST JUICE
Global warming: Carbon Fee Moves to the Front of the Debate
The California Air Resources Board may now impose a carbon emissions fee on greenhouse gases.
October 20, 2006
Deregulation's 10-Year Anniversary:
From Heady to Hell to Hybrid
Imperfect hindsight.
October 06, 2006
Ferguson: Energy Matters
Blame Game
October 06, 2006
Former Edison Prez Disses Deregulation
Bob Foster looks back 10 years.
October 06, 2006
GUEST JUICE
No Champagne for This 10th Anniversary
By Mike Florio
October 06, 2006
JUICE
The First Cap & Trade
Air quality and deregulation.
October 06, 2006
FERC Recommends Relicensing Klamath Hydro Dams
Put those salmon in a truck, say the feds.
September 29, 2006
Ferguson: Ain't Rocket Science
Edison pokes stick in Tehachapi transmission plan that would connect large amounts of wind projects to the grid.
September 22, 2006
Edison's Plan: New Local Power Plants
Keeping the lights on in the utility territory next summer may depend on getting new in-basin projects built ASAP.
September 15, 2006
GUEST JUICE: The RPS - Ugly, but Working
Nancy Rader, CalWEA Executive Director, urges regulators to not spare the rod to improve utility performance.
September 08, 2006
JUICE: Utilities' Love for Cars
Proposition 87 clears the way for utilities to become a force in the alternative fuel market.
September 08, 2006
JUICE
Giving Props to Prop. 87
The trick will be in how a new agency created by Prop. 87 interprets its authority.
September 01, 2006
It's Official: California is Pro-Nuke
A surprise change in policy lurks in an innocuous new law.
August 25, 2006
PG&E's Proposed Settlement Calls for Rate Increases
Consumer groups cry foul that it was settled without them.
August 25, 2006
Removing Hetch Hetchy Requires 140 MW of New Generation
140 MW of new power would be needed to replace lost hydropower and supply the additional electricity needed to pump water that now flows to San Francisco by gravity.
August 18, 2006
Demand-Response Details Show Gaps
Coaxing negawatts out of consumers may be as thorny as building new power plants.
August 11, 2006
SMUD Gets an Earful for Hydro Licensing Plan
Objections to the flow release regime in the alternative relicensing plan for its power projects in the Upper American River
August 04, 2006
Peak Records Set, Outages Hit, Rolling Blackouts Averted
Fire adds new threat to grid.
July 28, 2006
JUICE
Carboniferous Period
Summer reading.
July 21, 2006
Women's Group Connects Water, Energy Drops
Needed efficiency requires turning off both the tap and light.
July 14, 2006
Commissions Consider Scrapping Current Renewables Processes
As the deadline for 20% renewables gets closer, the processes seem to hinder the policy goal.
July 07, 2006
JUICE: Win, Show, Place
Want to bet on whether smart metering will be a winner in California?
June 30, 2006
Irrigation District Looks for Annexation Alternatives
"It's far from over," vowed Jeff Shields, the district's general manager.
June 23, 2006
JUICE: Risk and Return
The growing role of equity funds in power projects.
June 16, 2006
Reporter's notebook, Western Governors meeting
Sedona Arizona and don't forget Winona
June 11, 2006
Juice: Little Result from $2B Efficiency Spending
Investor-owned utilities say the big savings are yet to come.
June 09, 2006
Guest Juice:
Slaying Greenhouse Gases with Energy Efficiency -
By Assemblymember Lloyd Levine
Running down why munis should participate in state efficiency measures.
May 26, 2006
New Trend to Meet Renewables Portfolio: Dump Contracts
Some call for a central funding & acquisition agency.
May 19, 2006
JUICE: Munis Deserve Local Control, Not One-Size-Fits-All State Regulation
Differences between public power agencies and investor-owned utilities should be embraced to enhance diversity and competition.
May 12, 2006
Governor Mulls Replacement for Outgoing CEC Chair
Desmond expected to land in high-level post in governor's office.
May 05, 2006
Gov. Candidates Mark Energy Policy Territory
Global warming curbs, conservation and renewables get top billing.
April 28, 2006
SMUD Wins Partial Victory in Nuke Waste Case
This decision could mean other nuclear power plant owners can get some money back from DOE payments for nuclear disposal.
April 28, 2006
Unprecedented Greenhouse Suit Debated in Federal Court
Lawyers argue over NEPA applicability to federal agency lending practices.
April 21, 2006
JUICE
Cap & Traders: Caveat Emptor
With carbon dioxide emission trading getting ever closer, take a few lessons from the L.A.'s air management district.
April 14, 2006
California Policy Makers Open Throttle on Climate Change
In contrast, national representatives oppose mandatory measures, urge volunteerism.
April 07, 2006
Sempra Dumps Coal Plants & Plans
Apparently a case of capital, not environment.
March 31, 2006
Is That A Bull's Eye On Your Back?
Power producers full embrace of clean, green power will thwart litigation and political fallout.
March 24, 2006
PG&E Pension Deal Covers $1.3B; Utility Totals $3.6B
An aging workforce, rising health care bills, and a skittish stock market is about to cause an increase in the use of ratepayer money to cover unfunded liabilities to utility retirees to the tune of $3.6 billion
March 17, 2006
Juice: Intervention Preemption
A Spring romp through the life of a public intervenor.
March 10, 2006
PG&E Nears Solar Net-Metering Cap
Can't have more installations without a change of state law.
March 03, 2006
Juice:
Whisky's for Drinkin'; Desal's for Fightin'
Desalination plants could combine power plant cooling water and potability.
March 03, 2006
Lines on a Map
Feds' plans to stake out transmission lines would keep us in the dark ages.
February 24, 2006
JUICE: Generation Arriviste
A look at the new energy kids on the block.
February 17, 2006
New Energy Budget: Solar Power Heats Up, Other Renewables Left in the Cold
Renewables advocates say it's just reshuffling.
February 10, 2006
Guest Juice: Low-Income Assistance's Gritty Ignorance
Energy assistance for the poverty stricken is plagued with problems.
February 03, 2006
CAISO Joins in Calpine Contract Protest
With Calpine in bankruptcy, it is asking for radical increases for its plants under contract with the grid opeator.
January 27, 2006
LNG Project Without the Terminal
Aussie firm pitches supplying CA with imported gas warmed up by LNG vessel, but keeps specifics under wraps.
January 19, 2006
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