What has SJVCEO been up to?

Hello and happy new years to all of our loyal blog readers! We hope you have had a wonderful holiday and a safe new years.

We apologize for the long delay in posting an organizational update. SJVCEO has been busier than ever and not complaining. Since our last post in March our team has been working non-stop on energy projects, state utility outreach as well as policy work. So lets dig in!

The VIEW Partnership is very excited to say we have our FIRST partner city, City of Visalia, who has reached platinum within the Southern California Edison Energy Leader Partnership. We will be awarding the certificate to the city at our upcoming annual awards luncheon this week. To reach platinum level the city has saved over 2,114,358 kWh which equates to about $613,163 saved in energy costs. That money saved has gone back into the cities general funds and put to good use for the residents of the city.

Many of our VIEW partners have looked into and or signed up for the Southern California Edison streetlight retrofit program. In total we have eight cities who are in the que for what is being called the LS1 option E program within the utility. Through this program partners upgrade all Edison owned streetlights to LED and the cost of the upgrade will show as a line item on their bill for up to 20 years. Many of the partners will not see any change to their electricity bills as much of the energy savings will pay for the monthly cost. We are very excited to see how the large scale upgrade in the valley will turnout when complete within the next year.



Much of the partnerships summer and fall was dedicated to community outreach and informational meetings relating to AB2672. During all outreach the partnership provided free flu shots to residents, energy saving information as well as a time to speak with the CPUC commissioners in charge of deciding the direction of the state assembly bill. The partnership will continue to work with the state in outreach in regards to AB2672 and holding its annual energy awareness month events.

Our HDR Partnership has been very busy at work as well. Many partners are moving forward with lighting upgrades as well as the same street lighting program as the VIEW partners, LS1 option E. Our partners did throw a curve ball at Edison when asking if the LED lighting can with stand Mojave desert like conditions. Edison went to their researchers to make sure the equipment being used would hold to those conditions. We are happy to say that the LED technology passes the test but will have a shorter useful life than if it were in more temperate conditions. We are excited to for the upgrades as this change in lighting will help with maintenance and operation of street lighting for partners.

METU is off to a great start for the 2018 program year! Our team was able to close out 2017 with an insulation project in the City of Avenal. This project is projected to save the city more than 1/3 of its current energy costs for one of its largest public facilities and significant source of energy usage for the city. Savings verification reporting for the City of Avenal is planned for the 1st quarter of 2018.

Lighting audits were completed in partnership with PG&E at the end of 2017 for three large publicly-owned facilities in the City of Madera. These projects are anticipated to get underway in the first quarter of 2018.

The City of Arvin has experienced recent personnel changes. However, METU was able to get the new representative up to speed on recent progress and not allow the City of Arvin to lose any of its momentum for continuing energy savings projects. Following a coordination meeting with PG&E and the Kern County Energy watch, METU will assist the city of Arvin with additional lighting projects, HVAC replacement support, as well as assist with the tools to facilitate community outreach to promote PG&E programs.

Last but not least, METU has also been busy with benchmarking efforts for the cities of Sanger and Selma. Municipal Readiness Reports detailing project pipelines will be distributed soon!

This past year has been an adventure for the team, but we are very excited and thankful to continue to do the work that we are allowed to do on behalf of our partners.

Stay tuned for our next update!

EE Tips for Back to School

It's that time of year again! Colleges and preK-12 schools are opening their doors for another year of teaching and learning. Most of you - whether you’re a student, teacher or parent - will have an emptier home over the next 9-10 months. An emptier home provides endless opportunities to lower that energy bill! Here are some energy-saving tips that I follow as well as others from energyinyourlife.com:

1.       Adjusting the thermostat

• Turn off the thermostat completely, or...
• Turn up the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when using AC
• Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees or lower when using heat
• Change the temperature remotely using a programmable thermostat and your smartphone

2.       Making lunches

• Take out all the food you’ll use from the fridge at once - opening it multiple times uses an exorbitant amount of unnecessary energy
• Use reusable lunch bags or boxes with insulating sides to keep things cold and reusable sandwich and snack containers to minimize waste
•  Bring a cold lunch to avoid using a microwave
• Fill up a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated. I like CamelBaks

3.       Unplugging electronics – gaming consoles, computers and rarely used kitchen appliances can use a lot of        power when off but still plugged in, so save some energy and unplug!

4.       Closing blinds

• AC works a lot harder to keep your home cool when hot sunlight is pouring in
• Get some insulating shades to keep your home even cooler

5.       Getting an audit

• PG&E offers various energy auditing services to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck
• energy.gov provides some other energy audit tips and opportunities

6.       Dressing appropriately – it’s still pretty warm out now, but it’ll cool down soon and if your school is air         conditioned, be prepared and wear layers!

7.       Going to and from school efficiently – walk or bike if you can, and carpool if you need a lift.

Photo Source: http://www.ecosmartworld.com/

Happy first day of school everyone! Have a safe, healthy and happy year. Learn lots!

LEDs and Utility Rebates: Save the Environment AND Cash Money!

The U.S. Green Building Council (or USGBC to yougreen-building aficionados) of Central CA chapter held a seminar at the Unitarian Universalist Church, the first LEED-certified building in Fresno. LED Lighting and PG&E Energy Efficiency Rebates Overview informed attendees of LED lighting benefits and how to work with PG&E to painlessly become more energy efficient daily. Who knew it could be so easy? 

George Burman, an electrical engineer and LEED Administrator for the UU church, began with a discussion of the science behind LED technology. I promise to refrain from getting too technical for those of you who, like me, tried very hard to understand concepts and do well in Physics, but just fail to completely absorb it. *insert ashamed face here*

Save the Environment

Unlike incandescent bulbs that produce light through heat generation, an LED has no filament. LEDs produce light by applying lots of energy to a semiconductor, which is then stimulated by the movement of electrons going from high to low energy levels. This process creates photons, or LIGHT! Voilà! That wasn’t so confusing, was it? The only process that took LED manufacturers some time to develop was “white” LED light. The semiconductors are “doped” with an element, each determining a different monochromatic color. They found that combining red, blue and green LEDs produces “white” light, which explains the bluish or yellowish (red LED + green LED) tinges we see in most white LEDs. 

Photo Source: Christmas Designers

Now for the goods: LEDs have high efficacy (lumens/watt), long life (up to 22 years), small size, and come in millions of colors. They don’t emit infrared radiation and  ̶  here’s the huge plus  ̶  they don’t emit UV radiation either! So, inks and dyes in paintings, photographs, etc. fade at a much slower rate under LED light AND bugs are not attracted to it!

Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to incorporating LEDs into building design including the initial high cost. You also want to consider the poor color rendering index (CRI) of LEDs before replacing your existing lighting system. (The CRI determines how good colors in a painting, your clothes, etc. look under a type of light.) However, I think we can agree that the environmental pros of LED lighting outweigh the few cons, if we find integrating them to be in our budget of course!

Save Cash Money

Not this Cash Money? Photo Source: Businessinsider.com

Jason Guenther, a Customer Relationship Manager at PG&E, concluded the evening with pinpointing effective solutions to managing one’s energy use. To do this, we first need to understand how we use energy daily. Everything from how long we use a hair dryer in the morning to leaving a toaster plugged in overnight contributes to excessive and unnecessary energy use. PG&E’s Customer Relationship Managers, like Jason, can perform audits or bill analysis. Once PG&E has adequately supplied you with information to understand how you use energy in your home or business, you can develop a facility energy management plan and implement PG&E’s recommendations, which fall under three categories: Permanent Energy Reduction, Savings by Design and Demand Response.

The first step for permanent energy reduction is to get an Energy Assessment. They are available onsite, by phone or you could even set up a DIY assessment on My Energy (who doesn’t like a good DIY project?).  Next, improve the efficiency of how something is used. For example, an office building’s AC system should be monitored. Not only are we generally more productive at a comfortable 77 degrees (see this Cornell study), but we shouldn’t waste energy turning a temporarily unused building into an igloo every night. Another solution is to purchase and install energy efficient products; you will receive rebates for doing so! You can also get money back for purchasing and installing energy efficient products through a customized retrofit (money back is determined case-by-case).

For those in commercial building construction and new building design, check out Savings By Design (SBD) Resources. This program offers incentives for new construction that exceed the latest version of Title 24. Note: DO NOT start construction before PG&E has approved your application. You won’t see those incentives if PG&E hasn’t approved you PRIOR to construction!

Finally, if you have a business, PG&E has Demand Response programs. These offer incentives for reducing a facility’s energy use during times of peak demand (hot day, statewide emergency or power plant failure). Turn things off that don’t NEED to be on during peak demand and receive an incentive? That seems like an easy choice… I do it. So should you!

Wellness Wednesday: Financial Health and Energy Efficiency

All my life I have known there is a ‘bigger picture’ when it comes to total wellness. Not only are we nourished by the foods we eat by also by our experiences in our daily lives. According to Wikipedia (gotta love a Google search), ‘holistic health is a concept in medical practice upholding that all aspects of people’s needs, psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole’. I believe that good health comes from a balance of nutrition and lifestyle factors and even takes into account financial health. Most people at one time in their lives have probably been affected by poor financial health. Maybe it was when mom and dad finally cut you off or the time when you were let go from your job; either way, it is amazing how much of a negative toll it can have on your physical health. Just as smart nutrition choices lead to a long and healthy life, good financial investments can also help you reap the rewards down the road.

You may remember my electric lawnmower post

from a few weeks back in which I announced one, that I am (finally) engaged and two, that my fiancé and I bought a house. Talk about stressful finances! In reality, the home purchase was a wise investment. Our apartment rent was costing more than what our mortgage payments will be and we finally get to have a say in what will make our house a home (backyard vegetable garden, composter, bocce ball court, and painted walls oh my!). While I can’t wait to check off my project list, I do recognize that this home is ours and will be ours for a very long time if not forever. A lifetime of projects: my dreams and nightmares all rolled into one. Whenever I find myself in a situation in which my pulse begins to race and I can’t seem to shut my mind off at the end of the day, I like to ask myself ‘what would you tell your health coaching clients?’

#slowdownjustbreathe.

One thing at a time and when it comes to wise home investments I have learned in my time at SJVCEO that energy efficiency is that first baby step that will set me up for a lifetime of financial health.

Just like that electric lawnmower, there are other ‘low hanging’ options I can make that will have a big impact on my wallet. First up we will be purchasing a clothes washer and dryer. Next will be a new oven, range, microwave, and then refrigerator – trust me, there will be large gaps of time in between purchases. I am sure you are thinking dollar signs and really, so am I; however, PG&E, my local service provider, offers rebates on many of these items when you purchase qualifying appliances. Sure a couple hundred dollars in savings doesn’t sound like a lot but when I know that these new, smarter, energy efficient appliances will save me in the long run on my utility bills I know that it is worth the investment. And, if I can control my spending habits and use those couple hundred incentive/rebate dollars as my own personal revolving energy fund I can do other projects such as weatherization that will continue to help put money back into my pocket all the while making our home energy efficient and better for the environment.  

Just as I think organic fruits and veggies are an investment in my long-term health and well-being so are these appliances when it comes to the health of our environment (and my wallet). Spend money upfront (qualifying appliances), save money down the road (cheaper utility bills), and know that you have done your small part in saving energy and reducing your carbon footprint.

--Maureen Hoff

photo credit: kenteegardin via photopin cc

photo credit: jbloom via photopin cc

photo credit: samsungtomorrow via photopin cc

Madera County scores big energy savings with efficiency lighting project

After most of Madera County’s staff quit for the day, crews of electricians went to work the past couple of weeks upgrading the existing lighting in many county buildings.

However, the measures don’t look like much until the casual observer knows what to look for.

Thousands of old inch-diameter fluorescents have been replaced with skinner bulbs – called T8s in light lingo. These new bulbs are 5/8-inch in diameter and use significantly less power while providing the same amount of light. In some cases, new-fangled fixtures with light emitting diodes, or LEDs, have replaced existing lighting.

What this means to the average taxpayer is significant savings to County coffers through lower utility bills. The energy efficiency retrofits when complete will save the county about 535,000 kilowatt hours of energy per year. This roughly equates to a savings of about $64,000 a year.

And that’s a big deal in these troubled economic times.

Another big deal is that the entire project isn’t costing the County a dime. The money making the project possible comes from an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission.

Madera County joined with 35 other cities and counties in the region to form the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is led by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District with the assistance of the nonprofit San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization. The Partnership administers the more than $4 million in grants and provides technical assistance to local governments.

The County is in the process of retrofitting florescent lights in its Main Jail, Main Library, Juvenile Services Administration Building, Oakhurst Library, Oakhurst Wastewater Treatment Facility and Government Center Parking Structure. The total conversion will replace 4,648 light tubes with new low-wattage/high-output florescent fixtures in the effort to reduce energy use and cost.

Beginning this week, the Government Center Parking Garage will receive new LED light fixtures to replace the center access lane florescent lights, area flood lights and light poles.

In addition, in cooperation with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., the County is installing new LED street lights at its Juvenile Hall Facility parking lots and 82 street lights in the unincorporated communities of Parkswood and Parksdale.

The County maintains the importance of as little disruption to daily business operations as possible. To minimize the inconvenience to the public and staff that would surely result from closure or limited access to public access facilities, the County opted to do the installations in the evenings.

Alaska's largest city buys big into LED street lights

Anchorage winters are long.

While not as oppressive as those of Point Barrow on the Arctic Ocean, the long nights require decent man-made lighting to illuminate the often snow-packed and ice-frosted roads. And that makes street lights important.

The project is similar to one by the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is working with 19 cities and one county and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to install energy saving LED street lights from Wasco to Selma and San Joaquin to Madera County and Gustine.

The effort by the Municipality of Anchorage, however, is massive with more than 16,000 street lights. The partnership's program is comparatively small with 2,136 lights.

The Anchorage Assembly approved phase one, and 4,000 LED fixtures have been installed, city officials say.

"At an initial investment of $2.2 million and an annual savings of $360,000, these fixtures will pay for themselves in less than seven years," they say.

Here's Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, discussing the projet at a a U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in June 2010.

Begich, a former Anchorage mayor and long-time staffer, says he made sure to involve the community in the decision to swap the lights. He says the directive was to save money, but "let's make sure the end user appreciates the light." He also encourages other cities to follow with their own projects.

The Valley project, paid for with Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funds, is nearly complete. The lighting saves cash-strapped Valley communities money and offers gives a whole new perspective on street lighting.

Expect to see more street lights with the distinctive bright LED light. PG&E is complementing the partnership's program with a separate on-bill financing opportunity, and many cities are taking the utility up on the work.

The end result is a smaller energy bill and better solvency in a tough economic time.

Alaska's largest city is making a big deal of the installation, at least on its website. City officials boast: "Anchorage is blazing the trail in streetlight improvement policies, and communities across the state, the country, and around the world are watching closely to follow our lead."

Anchorage often goes all out to boast of its accomplishments. If it doesn't, nobody pays attention. But the message is sound. Energy efficiency works.

Photo: PG&E replacing street lights with LED fixtures in Napa.

Solar's Emerging Power In Central California

Solar power continues to expand in the central San Joaquin Valley, where projects in Fresno and Tulare counties are coming online. Today, PG&E symbolically flips the switch on three power stations near Five Points that will deliver enough solar energy to run 15,000 houses. Here is more from The Fresno Bee.

And here is a report on an interesting project a county away, where Dinuba officials will affix more than 4,700 solar panels to a landfill, and then use the 1 megawatt of power to operate the city's wastewater treatment plant. Typically, those types of facilities are among a city's biggest energy hogs.

Dinuba isn't the first city to use solar energy to decrease power bills at its water treatment plant, and likely won't be the last, as we reported in this blog that outlined similar projects in the Valley - and other possible uses for solar.

Solar is making its way onto rooftops, into agriculture operations and even onto roads. How much it expands remains to be seen, but the potential is sunny, considering California's 33 percent renewables mandate, the falling cost of residential systems and improving technology.

Just yesterday, folks at at UC Merced (oh, how we love UC Merced and its top-notch research programs!) announced a new kind of solar system that doesn't have to track the sun. Read more here in the Merced Sun-Star.

Maybe, Gov. Jerry Brown was right when he predicted a solar revolution in California.