Blogs

The Local Clean Energy Alliance’s third annual Clean Power, Healthy Communities conference drew 140 people on May 10 to a day of intense deliberations about the potential benefits of local renewable power to Bay Area communities and how to build a movement to realize those benefits.

Check out photos of the conference and a video of the keynote address by Bill Gallegos. For those who are kicking themselves for not attending, you can also check out some of the conference presentations. Video of major sessions will be available soon.

Spearheaded by the California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA) and authored by Assemblyman Paul Fong (Cupertino), AB 1990 would provide a 375 megawatt feed-in tariffs tariff program to promote 375 megawatts of small-scale renewable energy projects in disadvantaged communities in California by 2020.

Bay Area’s Largest Energy Alliance to Host Town Hall with Assemblymember Nancy Skinner

Dynamic Cross-Sector Gathering to Accelerate Local Renewable Energy Projects and Green Job Growth

Is it possible over the next 8 years to convert 25% of Bay Area homes and businesses to zero net energy buildings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric usage by 60%, and cut peak demand for electricity by 50%? Pacific Environment's report Bay Area Smart Energy 2020 (BASE 2020) provides a road map for doing just that.

The Local Clean Energy Alliance’s March general meeting featured James Fine, of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), presenting a summary of EDF’s work evaluating Smart Grid deployment plans of California’s three Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) companies.

On January 3, 2012, the Local Clean Energy Alliance called on Governor Jerry Brown to replace Michael Peevey as president of the California Public Utilities Commission. "In the ten years he has held that position," said a letter sent by the Alliance to the Governor, "Peevey has turned the CPUC into an agency that has stood for the interests of investor-owned utilities (IOUs) against the interests of ratepayers and the public."

The Local Clean Energy Alliance has joined the Call to Action for Energy Democracy initiated by Solar Done Right, an advocacy organization devoted to protecting desert ecology and promoting local renewable electricity generation.

Jamie Fine of the Environmental Defense Fund was guest speaker at the Local Clean Energy Alliance's November 17, 2011 membership meeting, speaking on a proposed state-wide program for financing home energy improvements. On-bill repayment for energy upgrades and/or clean energy installations would allow homeowners and renters to make energy improvements without having to provide any cash up front--financing would be paid back through utility bills.