Region: National
Solar Plus Storage May Be a Good Deal for Some
One company says that photovoltaics with battery storage are cost-competitive for some businesses now.
A battery company called Coda Energy says that a combination of solar photovoltaics and onsite storage can be cost-competitive with utility electric service for some larger customers. That is according to an online article on greentechgrid. Solar is still a more expensive option for power production than fuels such as natural gas, and various energy …
Continue reading “Solar Plus Storage May Be a Good Deal for Some”
CONTINUE READING2014 Senate Races and the Environment: Alaska and Colorado
Two anti-environmental Republicans versus a moderate and an environmental advocate.
Alaska and Colorado may both think of themselves as having a link to the frontier, but they’re also very different in terms of demographics and dependence on the oil industry. The Senate races in the two states are also similar in some ways but not others, perhaps reflecting the more diverse economy of Colorado. In …
Continue reading “2014 Senate Races and the Environment: Alaska and Colorado”
CONTINUE READINGReflections on My Climate Ride for UCLA’s Emmett Institute
I’ve just returned from completing the Climate Ride from New York City to Washington this week, on behalf of UCLA’s Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. As Ann posted earlier, funds raised through the ride benefit the Emmett Institute and Dan Emmett is generously matching, dollar for dollar, every contribution up to $50,000. …
Continue reading “Reflections on My Climate Ride for UCLA’s Emmett Institute”
CONTINUE READING2014 Senate Races and the Environment: Georgia and North Carolina
Two GOP candidates: a cipher on environmental issues and a Romney clone.
Last week, I looked at the Republican Senate candidates in the neighboring states of Arkansas and Louisiana. This week, we turn to two other Southern neighbors, Georgia and North Carolina. (Before you rush to email me that they’re not neighbors because South Carolina is between them, take another look at the map — Georgia and …
Continue reading “2014 Senate Races and the Environment: Georgia and North Carolina”
CONTINUE READINGClimate Ride Part of Big Climate Week
In addition to the remarkable turnout for the Climate March in New York City, this weekend also kicked off the NYC to DC Climate Ride, which left Manhattan on Saturday, September 20. The Emmett Institute has its very own rider with Professor Ted Parson pedaling the 300 miles in 5 days. He’s concluding the ride …
Continue reading “Climate Ride Part of Big Climate Week”
CONTINUE READINGFaculty Job Openings in Environmental Law
Looking for a job in law teaching? Here’s a list of schools doing searches in environmental, energy, or natural resources law. I’ll update the list if I hear about additional openings. Alabama is planning to hire at least one junior-lateral candidate or entry-level person this year. Four subject matter areas are receiving special attention, one …
Continue reading “Faculty Job Openings in Environmental Law”
CONTINUE READINGA Blow to Public Interest Litigation
A Texas judge’s award of attorney fees is a threat to all public interest groups, liberal or conservative.
A couple of weeks ago, a federal district judge in Texas awarded over $6 million in attorneys’ fees against the Sierra Club. Sierra Club had survived motions to dismiss and for summary judgment, only to lose at trial. The court awarded fees on the ground that the suit was frivolous. The combination of rulings — denying summary …
Continue reading “A Blow to Public Interest Litigation”
CONTINUE READINGA Roadmap for State Comments on the Clean Power Plan
Considerations for State Regulators Tackling EPA’s §111(d) Proposed Rule
Yesterday, EPA announced its decision to extend the comment period on the Clean Power Plan—the agency’s proposed rule to regulate power plant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under Clean Air Act § 111(d)—until December 1, 2014. The comment period was originally scheduled to last 120 days, until October 16th. You can find a list of compiled …
Continue reading “A Roadmap for State Comments on the Clean Power Plan”
CONTINUE READINGUCLA / UC Berkeley Law Report On Harvesting Electric Vehicle Batteries For Grid Storage
Joint law school report will be discussed at a webinar on Friday at 10am
As I blogged about last week, California and the nation may have a golden opportunity to harvest used electric vehicle batteries for inexpensive energy storage. These repurposed batteries can be stacked for bulk storage to absorb surplus renewable energy for cloudy and dark windless times. They can save ratepayers money, clean the grid, and potentially …
CONTINUE READINGLos Angeles Heat Waves, Electricity Use and Climate Change
It is 102 degrees in Los Angeles as I write this. Not in the San Fernando Valley or in the communities east of Los Angeles whose temperatures are regularly several degrees higher but in downtown Los Angeles. We’re in record heat territory and way above historical averages. But temperatures aren’t the only records that are …
Continue reading “Los Angeles Heat Waves, Electricity Use and Climate Change”
CONTINUE READING