CURRENTS is a publication by Pat Stoner, the Statewide Local Government Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator. Pat has been writing and distributing CURRENTS: An Energy Newsletter for Local Governments since 1998. We thank Pat for allowing us to post his newsletter on our blog. To subscribe to CURRENTS, email Patrick Stoner (slgeebpc@lgc.org).
Statewide LG EE Best Practices Coordinator: Weekly Update Vol. VII, Issue II
For those of you who know who Pat Stoner is you likely are on his email distribution list and receive this update each week. We are grateful that Pat has agreed to allow our little blog to re-post his weekly update. If you have an interest in the happenings of energy efficiency and local government throughout California this is the update for you! If you love the information here, but want more in depth features be sure to check out Pat's quarterly newsletter, CURRENTS.
Presentations
from June 24, 25 and 28, 2013 Staff Workshops on The Comprehensive Energy
Efficiency Program for Existing Buildings Draft Action Plan
For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/ab758/documents/
UPDATE for JULY 10, 2013
LEAD CEC COMMISSIONER WORKSHOP ON THE DEFINITION OF ZERO
NET ENERGY IN NEWLY CONSTRUCTED BUILDINGS IN CALIFORNIA
The California Energy Commission Lead Commissioner on the Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) will conduct a workshop to discuss the definition of "Zero Net Energy" as it relates to newly constructed buildings in California.
Commissioner Andrew McAllister is the Lead Commissioner for the 2013 IEPR. Other commissioners may attend and participate in this workshop. Commissioners and staff from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) may also attend and participate.
In Person Attendance
The California Energy Commission Lead Commissioner on the Integrated Energy Policy Report (IEPR) will conduct a workshop to discuss the definition of "Zero Net Energy" as it relates to newly constructed buildings in California.
Commissioner Andrew McAllister is the Lead Commissioner for the 2013 IEPR. Other commissioners may attend and participate in this workshop. Commissioners and staff from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) may also attend and participate.
In Person Attendance
Thursday, July 18, 2013, 9:00 a.m.
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street, First Floor, Hearing Room A
Sacramento, California
(Wheelchair Accessible)
Remote Attendance
You may participate in this meeting through WebEx, the Energy Commission's online meeting service. Presentations will appear on your computer screen, and you may listen to the audio via your computer or telephone. Please be aware that the meeting may be recorded.
To join a meeting:
VIA COMPUTER: Go to https://energy.webex.com and enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. When prompted, enter your information and the following meeting password: cec@0718
The "Join Conference" menu will offer you a choice of audio connections:
1. To call into the meeting: Select "I will call in" and follow the on-screen directions.
2. International Attendees: Click on the "Global call-in number" link.
3. To have WebEx call you: Enter your phone number and click "Call Me."
4. To listen over the computer: If you have a broadband connection, and a headset or a computer microphone and speakers, you may use VolP (Internet audio) by going to the Audio menu, clicking on "Use Computer Headset," then "Call Using Computer."
VIA TELEPHONE ONLY (no visual presentation): Call 1-866-469-3239 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada). When prompted, enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. International callers may select their number from https://energy.webex.com/energy/globalcallin.php.
VIA MOBILE ACCESS: Access to WebEx meetings is now available from your mobile device. To download an app, go to www.webex.com/overview/mobile-meetings.html.
If you have difficulty joining the meeting, please call the WebEx Technical Support number at 1-866-229-3239.
For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013_energypolicy/documents/index.html#07182013
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street, First Floor, Hearing Room A
Sacramento, California
(Wheelchair Accessible)
Remote Attendance
You may participate in this meeting through WebEx, the Energy Commission's online meeting service. Presentations will appear on your computer screen, and you may listen to the audio via your computer or telephone. Please be aware that the meeting may be recorded.
To join a meeting:
VIA COMPUTER: Go to https://energy.webex.com and enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. When prompted, enter your information and the following meeting password: cec@0718
The "Join Conference" menu will offer you a choice of audio connections:
1. To call into the meeting: Select "I will call in" and follow the on-screen directions.
2. International Attendees: Click on the "Global call-in number" link.
3. To have WebEx call you: Enter your phone number and click "Call Me."
4. To listen over the computer: If you have a broadband connection, and a headset or a computer microphone and speakers, you may use VolP (Internet audio) by going to the Audio menu, clicking on "Use Computer Headset," then "Call Using Computer."
VIA TELEPHONE ONLY (no visual presentation): Call 1-866-469-3239 (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada). When prompted, enter the unique meeting number: 923 288 296. International callers may select their number from https://energy.webex.com/energy/globalcallin.php.
VIA MOBILE ACCESS: Access to WebEx meetings is now available from your mobile device. To download an app, go to www.webex.com/overview/mobile-meetings.html.
If you have difficulty joining the meeting, please call the WebEx Technical Support number at 1-866-229-3239.
For more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2013_energypolicy/documents/index.html#07182013
(If link above doesn't work, please copy entire link into your web browser's URL)
EXISTING BUILDINGS DRAFT ACTION PLAN PRESENTATIONS
AVAILABLE
Presentations
from June 24, 25 and 28, 2013 Staff Workshops on The Comprehensive Energy
Efficiency Program for Existing Buildings Draft Action PlanFor more information:
http://www.energy.ca.gov/ab758/documents/
WORKSHOP IN WE&T SCOPE OF WORK, JULY 29
Per Decision 12-011-015, the “Decision Approving 2013-14
Energy Efficiency Programs and Budgets,” the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs)
were directed to hire an expert entity to help design a comprehensive approach
to the Workforce Education and Training issues (WE&T) inherent in their
energy efficiency (EE) portfolios. The IOUs are pleased to announce that
the UC Berkeley Donald Vial Center was selected after a formal solicitation
review process.
The statewide IOU team invites all interested stakeholders
to a public workshop during which the UC Berkeley team will present their work
plan, in response to the IOU’s requested scope of work. Questions will
also be welcomed.
Public Workshop: WE&T Consultant Contract – July
29, 2013, 10:00 am – Noon
California Public Utilities Commission (Room TBD)
505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco 94102
Call-in/Webinar Details Will Be Provided
FREE WEBINAR: ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE
There will be a free one-hour webinar on Tuesday, July 16.
It will feature best-selling author David Gershon who will share recent
research and case studies on Addressing Climate Change through Community
Engagement and Behavior Change.
Please note the start time in your time zone: 9 a.m. Pacific.
Register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/256538070
David Gershon, co-founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, is one of the world's foremost authorities on behavior-change, community engagement and large-system transformation. He is the author of 11 books, including "Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing Our World," and the best-selling "Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds." He co-directs Empowerment Institute's School for Transformative Social Change, which teaches change agents to design and implement stakeholder engagement and behavior change initiatives.
Please note the start time in your time zone: 9 a.m. Pacific.
Register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/256538070
David Gershon, co-founder and CEO of Empowerment Institute, is one of the world's foremost authorities on behavior-change, community engagement and large-system transformation. He is the author of 11 books, including "Social Change 2.0: A Blueprint for Reinventing Our World," and the best-selling "Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds." He co-directs Empowerment Institute's School for Transformative Social Change, which teaches change agents to design and implement stakeholder engagement and behavior change initiatives.
WATER-ENERGY TOOLKIT
The California Sustainability Alliance has released a Water-Energy Toolkit for Sustainable Development, a
practical guide to implementing water-energy conservation policies and projects
for local government, developers, water agencies and supporting parties.
The Alliance’s Toolkit is designed to provide four important
stakeholder groups (water agency staff, policy makers, developers and
water-energy conservation advocates) with the basic knowledge and resources
needed to enable consideration of water-energy savings solutions in the
community development process. Structured as an action-oriented and practical
guidebook, the Toolkit offers simple steps, example roadmaps, and exemplary
California case study examples of working projects to guide stakeholders
through the key components of the water-energy sustainability decision-making
process.
Download the toolkit for more details.
OPR'S NEW CLIMATE CHANGERS VIDEO
Check out OPR’s
newest Climate Changers video: Crossing 400: The Keeling Curve Reaches a Historic Milestone.
Ralph Keeling, geochemistry professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
UC San Diego, talks about the @keeling_curve and a historic climate milestone:
the carbon dioxide concentration in our atmosphere recently exceeded 400 ppm
for the first time in human history. Dr. Keeling explains the consequences of
this, outlines solutions, and addresses why time is of the essence.
OPR has also
recently uploaded several other new videos to our Climate Changers YouTube Site, an innovative video
initiative to share hot lessons and cool solutions. We invite you to browse
through our video library and to become a "climate changer" by
joining us in working toward a more resilient California.
"BAD INCENTIVES FOR GREEN CHOICES"
A new post by Severin Borenstein
Sure, I'd like to see a tax on gasoline that reflects its
greenhouse gases emissions. If we can't or won't do that, then maybe subsidies
for electric vehicles can imperfectly address some of the same goals. If not
that, how about free EV charging? Free parking? Higher speed limits for EVs?
Discount air travel for EV owners? Complimentary massages? By the time you got
to the last couple ideas, you probably said "well that's
ridiculous." At least I hope so. But where do you draw the
"ridiculous" line? Click here for the whole post.
Grange Network to host first free webinar on efficient water delivery this Thursday
Sure enough, the work Jim and his partner, Kurt Maloney are doing with AGH20 is right up our water/energy nexus alley. In addition to collaborating on our C6 training program they have also started a web based community for irrigation industry called the Grange Network. The new site serves the Agricultural Irrigation Industry's need to share knowledge and effectively use water.
On Thursday, February 28th the Grange Network will hoe the first in a series of free webinars hosted by top industry thinkers. Click here to register.
Topic: Making Drip Pay: Increasing Income, Reducing Costs and Improving Flexibility
Speaker: Inge Bisconer, Technical Marketing and Sales Manager, Toro
Date: Thursday, February 28, 2013
Time: 10:00 a.m. PST, 60 minutes
Cost: FREE!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Session Description: Drip irrigation for agriculture is gaining in popularity because of its many benefits. This webinar provides an overview of how producers are increasing income, reducing costs, improving flexibility and achieving sustainability by using drip irrigation technology on row, field and permanent crops.
Case studies will be reviewed, along with a unique software tool called the Toro Drip/Mirco Payback Wizard. Finally, a typical drip irrigation system layout and design will be reviewed using Toro's AquaFlow 3.2 Drip Irrigation Design Software.
About Inge Bisconer: Inge Bisconer is the Technical Marketing and Saels Manger for Toro Mirco-Irrigation in El Cajon, CA. She has worked in production agriculture, co-founded an irrigation consulting firm, and has held various technical, sales, marketing and management positions in the irrigation and water treatment industries over the past 30 years.
Inge holds a BS in agriculture from UC Davis, an MBA in technology management, and most recently authored the Toro Mirco-Irrigation Owner's Manual, a comprehensive guide for both new and existing row, field and permanent crop growers.
Inge currently serves as President of the California Irrigation Institute, is an Irrigation Association Certified Irrigation Designer (CID) and Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA), and it past-chair of the IA's Drip/Mirco Common Interest Group and its Market Development subcommittee.
The "Grange Network is a collaborative effort between AGH2O and vftnetworks--A Vignettes for Training Inc. Company.
photo credit: CUESA via photopin cc
Wellness Wednesday: Wait, What the WWTF?
It’s easy to take what seem like the simple things in life,
like running water, for granted. You turn on the faucet and out it comes. You
flush the toilet and there it goes. Your sprinklers go off like clockwork. I
was taught the importance of water conservation (e.g. turn off the faucet while
you brush your teeth and whatnot) but not until a recent visit to the City ofWoodlake’s Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) did I truly grasp the
consequences of my actions and the ‘big picture’ when it comes to water use.
A waste water treatment facility is the destination for all
waste water that travels through our complex sewer systems. This can be from
our homes (toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks, etc.), industry, and storm
water runoff. A lovely combination of human waste, animal waste, oil and
grease, and whatever else finds its way into the system go through a series of
processes at the facility in order to treat it so that it may be discharged
into a body of water, used as irrigation, or even put back into the groundwater
supply. That is the overly simplified explanation so you can visit good ol’
Wikipedia for some
great diagrams. The largest gag reflex point of Courtney and my tour of
Woodlake’s WWTF would have to have been at the very beginning where solid
wastes that cannot proceed through the treatment facility are disposed of into
the trash to be taken to the dump. Nothing was even processing at the time we
stood there but I could only imagine. Close second was standing on the catwalk
over the bubbling waste water as it was being treated – see photos for full
effect. The most amazing part of our tour was that while I was thoroughly
disgusted, I was also equally fascinated.
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that these complex
processes to treat waste water take a huge amount of energy. My personal
adventures in benchmarking municipal energy use and seeing the utility bills
related to running these facilities caused my jaw to drop. According to the American Council for an
Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), ‘municipal water supply and waste water
treatment systems are among the most energy-intensive facilities owned and are
operated by local governments, accounting for about 35% of energy used by
municipalities’. You can’t deny the obvious link between water and energy; in
fact, this is something the VIEW
Partnership hopes to address in the coming year. The City of Woodlake
wisely incorporated energy efficiency measures into the development of their
treatment facility which will help with operation costs.
A waste water treatment facility is the destination for all
waste water that travels through our complex sewer systems. This can be from
our homes (toilets, baths, showers, kitchens, sinks, etc.), industry, and storm
water runoff. A lovely combination of human waste, animal waste, oil and
grease, and whatever else finds its way into the system go through a series of
processes at the facility in order to treat it so that it may be discharged
into a body of water, used as irrigation, or even put back into the groundwater
supply. That is the overly simplified explanation so you can visit good ol’
Wikipedia for some
great diagrams. The largest gag reflex point of Courtney and my tour of
Woodlake’s WWTF would have to have been at the very beginning where solid
wastes that cannot proceed through the treatment facility are disposed of into
the trash to be taken to the dump. Nothing was even processing at the time we
stood there but I could only imagine. Close second was standing on the catwalk
over the bubbling waste water as it was being treated – see photos for full
effect. The most amazing part of our tour was that while I was thoroughly
disgusted, I was also equally fascinated.
I think it goes without saying that these facilities are not
only related to energy but also to our health. Without these treatment
facilities…well, I don’t need to spell it out - just think about it. Proper
collection, treatment, and disposal of waste water are crucial for human and
environmental health. Water contamination can lead to cholera, typhoid,
parasites, and Hepatitis – just to name a few illnesses.
My visit to Woodlake’s facility was a reminder to be
cautious as to what I put down the drain and to be thankful for our municipalities
for allowing us safer and healthier lives.
Hats off to you, Woodlake, and congrats on the grand opening of your new
facility!
PHOTOS (from C.
Kalashian)
Scandanavian company produces power from pumped water
A Norwegian company has created a device that produces electricity from piped water under pressure.
It's an accomplishment that could win Zeropex a number of customers, especially amongst cities, counties and water districts that pay gobs of money for electricity to pump water. For instance, about 20 percent of the energy used in California is spent moving water around.
"Our energy efficient solutions are cutting your carbon footprint whilst improving your bottom line," the company says.
Zeropex explained the process this way: The micro generator "is a pressure-reducing system generating pure power from the pressure drop in fluids. It combines the pressure control from chokes and electricity generation from hydroturbines. DIFGEN is a cost effective replacement of pressure chokes in all types of systems where pressure control is vital."
In a Thursday post, greentechmedia.com said Rentricity and a few other companies have been trying to market the technology for some time but have faced difficulty because of cost, technology and finding a customer base.
But that may change. In his story, Michael Kanellos quoted Zeropex CEO Tor Ersdal as saying production cost is coming down and Michael Russell, a Cabinet Secretary in Scotland, as saying that his country is investing in micro hydro. Scottish Water plans to generate green electricity by fitting turbines in water mains and aims to launch a pilot project in Fife later this year, according to the Sunday London Times. "The device will generate enough electricity to power about 50 homes," wrote reporter Mark Home.
The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization has worked with quite a few cities that plan to spend a portion of their Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant allocations on pump replacement. Just installing variable frequency drive pumps can reduce energy costs by a third or more. The payback can be as brief as several years.
The SJVCEO is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean energy. The SJVCEO works with cities and counties and public and private organizations to demonstrate the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the eight-county region of the San Joaquin Valley.