Time to Vote Out Coal
The U.S. cannot afford four more years of pandering to coal. Never has climate change felt so real as waking up two weeks ago to orange skies, darkened by the … Continue Reading Time to Vote Out Coal
It’s Climate Change, Stupid
Let’s get the electricity sector ready for a world with a very different climate. My phone has been ringing off the hook this week. Well, my phone does not have … Continue Reading It’s Climate Change, Stupid
Smart Meters, Dumb Blackouts?
Smart load limits could help to keep the lights on through California’s wildfire season. Today’s post was co-authored with Duncan Callaway. California’s 2020 wildfire season is off to a blazing … Continue Reading Smart Meters, Dumb Blackouts?
Are There More Blackouts in California’s Future?
Rising electricity demand from air conditioning will exacerbate problems during heat waves. The Bay Area has definitely felt dystopian recently. Our Covid cases are high, we’ve had heat waves and … Continue Reading Are There More Blackouts in California’s Future?
Why Don’t We Do It With Demand?
Customers can help avoid blackouts if they are given better information and prices. Even if you don’t live in California, you probably heard about the rotating power outages we had … Continue Reading Why Don’t We Do It With Demand?
Electrification Mandates and Slow Housing Growth
Electrification mandates for new homes take a long time to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. New housing construction has fallen sharply around the world due to COVID-19. Housing starts are down … Continue Reading Electrification Mandates and Slow Housing Growth
Truckin’ California Style
Zero emission trucks will play a major role in California freight transport. While the Trump administration is busy dousing 50 years of environmental regulation with leaded gasoline, setting it on … Continue Reading Truckin’ California Style
Biden’s New Climate Plan
On the economics of building back greener. With a high-stakes election on the horizon, the Democrats are working hard to shore up a winning policy platform. The Biden-Sanders Unity Task … Continue Reading Biden’s New Climate Plan
How Utility Customers Will Pay for the Pandemic
Time to reexamine how utility losses will be shared among customers. The coronavirus pandemic has thrown public finances into turmoil. Legislators and city councils are wrestling with what services to … Continue Reading How Utility Customers Will Pay for the Pandemic
Subsidizing Electricity During a Pandemic: Lessons from Ghana
Ghanaians were promised heavily subsidized electricity for the first three months of the pandemic. What happened? Today’s post is co-authored with Susanna Berkouwer, Pierre Biscaye, Miranda Lambert and Steve Puller.) … Continue Reading Subsidizing Electricity During a Pandemic: Lessons from Ghana
Who Killed Fuel Economy Standards?
Obama-era standards are dead. Who pulled the trigger? Source: Rigzone.com On March 30, when many of us were panic shopping for toilet paper and learning where best to stash our … Continue Reading Who Killed Fuel Economy Standards?
Understanding and Refining Emissions Markets
Tweaking the market will help, but so will recognizing its limits. After California’s May allowance auction settled at the minimum price and generated almost no revenues for the state, the … Continue Reading Understanding and Refining Emissions Markets
Five Arguments for Making Subways Free
Lowering subway fares would save energy and make cities greener. Subway ridership has fallen sharply around the world due to COVID-19. For most of the 170+ subway systems worldwide it … Continue Reading Five Arguments for Making Subways Free
Consuming Energy While Black
Black households’ energy expenditures are significantly higher than white households’. I immigrated to the United States from one of the whitest places on earth – Northern Bavaria, Germany. I have … Continue Reading Consuming Energy While Black
The High Cost of Low Carbon Prices
Industry and utility customers should chip in to support the carbon price floor. The Covid-19 crisis has led to all sorts of dramatic changes in lifestyles and economies. The energy … Continue Reading The High Cost of Low Carbon Prices
The Search for Good Green Stimulus
Lessons learned from our last go-round with energy efficiency stimulus spending. Last week it was reported that 1 in 4 American workers have filed for unemployment benefits during this pandemic. … Continue Reading The Search for Good Green Stimulus
