PG&E to analyze its energy footprint

PG&E has joined with University of California Berkeley and San Francisco-based Climate Earth to measure its impact on the environment.

The utility is going after Scope 3 emissions, a broad interpretation of greenhouse gas impacts that can include everything from employee travel to products purchased. The metric was developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development.

PG&E announced the project to employees this week, according to GreenBiz.com.

"The intention of the work we're beginning to do with UC Berkeley and some other partners ... is really to answer: Where are the opportunities as it relates to products and services we purchase?" asked Desmond Bell, PG&E's chief procurement officer -- as reported by Tilde Herrera of GreenBiz. "As utilities, if we focus on them, we can really move the needle (of) our environmental performance."

Herrera wrote, "Goods and services to be examined range from electricity generation and transmission equipment to fleet vehicles and office furniture."

The idea is to analyze what consumes electricity and attempt to reduce it through energy efficiency measures. The premise is the same applied to cities in the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Partnership, which is getting federal stimulus funds to install lighting, HVAC and other retrofits in three counties and 33 cities to reduce electricity use and save money.

PG&E has encouraged home and business owners to monitor their energy usage online as a way to become more familiar with what behaviors cause the kWh to spike. For instance, my home account shows that my power spiked when I cranked the AC Monday when temperatures hit 108 degrees.

We'll be interested in PG&E's findings.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Flying car is cool but will it really save energy?

Next month a small company in Woburn, Mass. plans to unveil something sure to gain the attention of more than a few aviation enthusiasts.

And just about anybody else.

Terrafugia has created an airplane it says can master the roads as well as the skies. After a flight, the pilot just folds up the wings and takes off, a feature that "reduces the cost, inconvenience and weather sensitivity of personal aviation," officials say.

"It's the future of personal aviation," says Richard Gersh, vice president of business development at Terrafugia, in a story by Ucilia Wang on DailyFinance.com. "We are the first company that has a high chance of success at a commercially viable product."

Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration granted the company extra takeoff weight to allow the design of road safety features, officials said. The FAA's approval of an additional 110 pounds -- to 1,430 -- "will allow a competitive useful load while providing a revolutionary level of crash safety in a light sport aircraft."

Terrafugia's aircraft, dubbed the Transition, will be unveiled officially at a press conference at 10:30 a.m. July 26 at the EAA AirVenture air show in Oshkosh, Wisc. The company, which was started four years ago by five pilots from MIT, says it successfully completed flight and drive testing last year and expects to make its first delivery late in 2011.

The price: $194,000. But with a projected range of 460 miles and a 20-gallon fuel tank, mileage of 23 mpg isn't bad. And no idling in traffic.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Tesla IPO raises $226 million, stock price climbs

Tesla Motors' stock performed impressively its first day out.

Shares closed at $23.89 on the Nasdaq, with the price ranging from $17.54 to $25 during the day. Trading volume was 18.8 million shares.

"The IPO came on a day when U.S. stocks fell more than 2 percent," The Associated Press reported. "The offering appealed to investors, raising $226.1 million."

The AP quoted Scott Sweet, who owns IPO research firm IPO Boutique, as saying the stock was "brilliantly marketed."

Much remains for the automaker, which has yet to make a profit and is selling fewer of its $109,000 cars than projected. The Palo Alto-based company did outperform its own expectations. It had planned to sell at least 10 million shares in its initial public offering at a projected cost from $14 to $16 per share and raise $186.6 million. See more in a past post.

Getting to know the 'Cash for Caulker' program

The California Energy Commission and the Building Performance Institute are among the organizations sponsoring a webinar about the proposed federal Home Star incentive program.

The event, dubbed "Cash for Caulkers" because of its similarity to Cash for Clunkers, is from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday. Click here to register.

The proposed program -- with estimates as high as $6 billion -- would give homeowners incentives by way of low-cost loans, rebates and tax breaks to pay for weatherization and energy-efficiency retrofits. It recently passed the U.S. House and was sent to the Senate.

The title of the webinar is "Getting GOLD STAR Ready: Roadmap to Accreditation with
The Building Performance Institute for California Home Improvement Contractors." Discussion includes information about federal and state programs requiring BPI accreditation to access rebate and incentive programs, details about the BPI, testimony from home performance contractors already accredited and details about applying for accreditation.

The Building Performance Institute figures to play a major role in the program, as only BPI-accredited companies or companies with accreditation approved by the U.S. Department of Energy can recommend energy efficiency retrofits under the Gold Star portion of the program.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Delano kicks off plan to green its downtown core

The City of Delano kicked off its Green Downtown District plan last week with a promise to assist businesses in its eight-block downtown core with saving energy.

Delano plans to use money from its Energy Efficiency Conservarion Block Grant to encourage business and building owners to install lighting, air conditioning and other energy efficiency retrofits.

"We're here tonight to encourage you to become part of our program," said Maribel Reyna, Delano economic & redevelopment director, last Thursday. "Kind of lets you know what can be done to help."

Reyna said Southern California Edison can provide energy auditing, a process that identifies outdated lighting and heating and cooling systems and what to replace them with. Savings can be as much as 35 percent.

About 30 people attended the event. Jack Sherman, a Southern California Edison instructor from the utility's CTAC energy center in Irwindale, served up an explanation of available rebates from his employer. He also explained what can be done to save energy and kilowatt hours annually at his workshop, which followed introductions and comments about the importance of promoting energy savings from Rudy Salas, a staffer of Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter.

Sherman explained the differences between styles of lighting, for instance offering this bit of wisdom about mercury vapor: "They're the least efficient light."

A better option? Induction, LED or compact fluorescent lighting.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Farmers push for help planting 'energy crops'

A group advocating a program that helps farmers cultivate crops that will be converted to energy took its message to Congress this week.

Members of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the National Farmers Union and others held a series of briefings for House and Senate staffers to convice them of the "benefits of sustainably-grown energy crops," said policy center officials in a statement.

"The briefings focused on the federal Farm Bill’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program, or 'BCAP.' Sustainable biomass and biofuel crops could become an important clean energy resource, but farmers want to be sure there’s a market for these crops before they plant them, and power producers want to be sure there’s a supply of these crops before they buy them. BCAP was intended to help break this 'chicken and egg' dilemma by offsetting a portion of the costs of growing and harvesting new energy crops and other biomass feedstocks," the center said.

The center said that ever since Congress passed the biomass assistance program in the 2008 Farm Bill, the program has gotten off to a rocky start and very few of its resources are being directed to new, sustainably grown energy crops.

Anna Rath, vice president of commercial development for Thousand Oaks-based Ceres Inc., which develops seeds for energy crops, said in testimony that efforts should be made to preserve cropland base so growers can plant other commodities in the future, to provide half the first year annual payments up-front, to ensure growers of energy crops are eligible for annual payments and to eventually establish other programs such as crop insurance for energy crops. She said such measures are "essential to ensure that these crops are on an equal footing with traditional crops."

The center said its mission is to persuade the U.S. Department of Agriculture to "hard-wire strong environmental protections in the BCAP rules and prioritize the right energy crops for development. If grown and harvested correctly, BCAP can boost on-farm income, help rural communities and improve environmental quality."

The central San Joaquin Valley has its share of biofuel connections. Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol Inc. reportedly will emerge from bankruptcy and restart production at its Madera County plant.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Tesla races to IPO

Hoopla surrounding Tesla Motors Inc. is accelerating -- much like its Roadster, which registers a reported 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds.

The Palo Alto-based company issues an expected initial public offering next week.

Tesla, the affirmed leader -- at least romatically -- in the electric car production race, plans to sell at least 10 million shares at a projected cost from $14 to $16 per share. Additional shares in the form of options and those sold by initial shareholders are also included and have the potential to boost the amount raised to $186.6 million, according to information in the company's June 15 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tesla has applied to be listed on Nasdaq, trading under TSLA.

Tesla has outdistanced rival startup, Fisker Automotive, which hopes to come out with its Karma later this year. Chevy's Volt is expected to appear in showrooms later this summer, followed by Nissan's Leaf and Daimler AG's electric Smart Car.

Last month, the company inked a deal with Toyota "to cooperate on the development of electric vehicles, parts, and production system and engineering support," according to a joint press release issued by the companies. Toyota agreed to purchase $50 million of Tesla’s common stock issued just after the IPO.

“I sensed the great potential of Tesla’s technology and was impressed by its dedication to monozukuri (Toyota’s approach to manufacturing),” said Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda, in a statement.

However, Tesla doesn't appear immune to the economy. The company, which lists 646 employees worldwide, says it sold 1,063 Roadsters (list price: $109,000) to customers in 22 countries as of March 31. Greentechmedia.com's Michael Kanellos reports that amounts to about 10 vehicles per week in the first quarter of this year, short of past projections to ramp up to producing 30 cars per week.

"Demand is there. It just isn't as high as once projected," Kanellos writes.

In other news, Tesla received a loan for $465 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program. The money will be used to finance a manufacturing plant for Tesla's planned Model S four-door sedan (priced at a more family friendly $49,900 and to debut in 2012) and an electric powertrain production facility. The company purchased the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, which as recently as April had assembled Toyota Corollas and Tacomas.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

PG&E subsidiary teams with SunRun for home solar push

A subsidiary of PG&E has teamed with another company to install solar on about 3,500 homes nationwide, officials said today.

Pacific Energy Capital II LLC and SunRun Inc. announced a plan to create a $100 million tax equity fund to fuel the effort. The agreement calls for Pacific Energy Capital to provide financing and SunRun to manage the projects.

The solar panels are installed for no money down, and SunRun maintains the system. Homeowners pay a monthly fee. Other companies offer similar plans.

"We are focused on continuing to take advantage of smart, strategic opportunities that enable us to acquire an in-depth understanding of this market and these technologies," said Brian Steel, PG&E Corp.'s senior director of corporate strategy and development, in a statement. "Our investment with SunRun reflects this ongoing effort. Additionally, it allows us to continue supporting the advance of renewable energy, which is a priority for our company, utility customers and policymakers."

The solar systems are expected to be installed this year and next in at least five states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.

Katie Fehrenbacher reported on cleanenergysector.com that the deal follows a similar one formed by PG&E and SolarCity earlier this year, involving $60 million in tax equity financing. That project was to install systems on 1,000 homes and businesses in California, Arizona and Colorado.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Solar company challenges candidates

An Oakland-based solar company has challenged Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown to install photovoltaic panels on their homes.

"We are asking our state's candidates to step up to the plate," said Danny Kennedy, founder of Sungevity, in a statement. "We're asking Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman to lead by example and support our growing clean economy where jobs and the environment work together."

The company is promoting a similar effort, entitled "Globama," to get the White House to install a 17.86 kW solar system. Sungevity says it will reduce the energy bills of the president's residence by 81 percent. Others involved in the White House effort include Solar Energy Industries Association, Post Carbon Institute, CleanTechies, Solar Nation and RenewableEnergyWorld.com.

There was no mention on the Sungevity Web site as to whether either candidate accepted. Sungevity says it will install the systems, should either say yes, by charging only a monthly fee for electricity used, the "main way solar is consumed in California – on a lease."

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Recovery Act weatherizing produces jobs

Forget what you may have heard. Stimulus funds are producing jobs.

At least that's the message from the U.S. Department of Energy today as it trumpets accomplishments in its weatherization program. Five states -- New Hampshire, New Mexico, Montana, Minnesota, and Utah -- completed at least 30 percent of the work in homes targeted in their weatherization programs.

Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, Ohio, Vermont, and Washington met the Recovery Act milestone last month, the agency said. California has had difficulty getting its weatherization program launched and may get some help from the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, depending upon the outcome of a recent grant.

"The weatherization program under the Recovery Act is creating opportunities nationwide — opportunities for energy savings and job growth. These states are helping to lead the way toward a stronger economic future with a sound foundation in clean energy," said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, in a statement.

DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program helps low-income households save energy and money by improving their energy efficiency. Local community action agencies or nonprofit organizations provide whole-home weatherization services under the program, including conducting an energy audit in the home to identify the most cost-effective improvements. Solutions range from installing additional insulation and weatherstripping, sealing windows and doors, caulking cracks in the building and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Illustration courtesy Doityourself.com.

Las Vegas building retrofit wins city's first gold

An 11-story, $11.5 million retrofit is Nevada's first to receive gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

It's a big deal. In fact, the unveiling last month was attended by former Pres. Bill Clinton.

A story by Buck Wargo in the Las Vegas Sun reports that a 46-year-old downtown office building at 302 E. Carson Ave. was recognized by the council for decreasing energy usage by 30 percent and water consumption by 40 percent.

"It was more than just a little bit of elbow grease that transformed a former asbestos-laden building into what is now considered a symbol of energy efficiency — and an example of what’s to come nationwide," Wargo wrote

He quoted Rick Fedrizzi, president of the U.S. Green Building Council and also at the unveiling: “This is really an important moment. This is the shot heard around the world. What we have now is an incredible example in Nevada that shows what you can do with an existing building and how much energy and water and waste can be salvaged.”

The office tower had been 20 percent occupied but is now up to 40 percent. It's owner Thompson National Properties liked the future of downtown Las Vegas and saw an opportunity. Tony Thompson, chairman and CEO of Irvine-based Thompson National Properties, which manages 3.5 million square feet of office space in Las Vegas, said: “What we spent on it is still below the replacement cost.”

Fedrizzi said the cost of $81 per square foot is half the price many other green office redevelopment projects have paid across the county and shows what’s possible.

Clinton dubbed Los Angeles-based general contractor Shangri-La "the best green building company in the country," according to a piece in the Huffington Post by Ellen Sterling. "Climate change is a huge problem. I think we have only scratched the surface of what we have to do. But I also believe that changing the way we consume and produce energy is the number one thing we can do in America to get the jobs engine going again, to improve our national security by making us less dependent on either imported or otherwise destructive sources of energy and to make a safer environment for our kids and grandkids."

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Electric car travels more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge

A specially converted electric-powered Daihatsu Mira has beaten its own long-distance record, traveling 1,003.18 km, or about 624 miles, in Japan, reports Alternative Energy News this week.

While the vehicle traveled at the relatively sluggish speed of about 25 mph for about 27.5 hours to reach the distance, the accomplishment is a rather remarkable move forward for battery-powered technology. The Mira EV used 8,320 cylindrical Sanyo lithium-ion 18650 batteries, typically used in laptops. Ecofriend.org reports a team of drivers from Tokyo-based Japan Electric Vehicle Club pulled off the feat in the club-created mini-car in Ibaraki, Japan from May 22 to May 23.

"Mira EV has created a feat worthy enough to be recorded in Guinness World Record now, by traveling 1,000 km on a single charge," Alternative Energy said.

And Sanyo said it "continues to improve its lithium-ion battery technology as it contributes to realizing a low carbon society."

Wired.com put the accomplishment in perspective. "We found the 18650 on eBay for $6.75 each, which means the price tag on the conversion must have topped $55,000. Considering the record-breaking run had an average speed of 30 miles an hour and required a ton of work to convert an existing car, we offer our congratulations to the Japan EV Club, but — if given the choice — would probably rather deal with the hassle of recharging a Tesla every 313 miles."

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Hanford Officials Move Forward With Retrofits

Down in Kings County, officials with the city of Hanford are figuring they can save up to $11,635 in annual energy costs by retrofitting existing metered lighting. Also, they are replacing 300 lights along downtown streets and parking lots, said Lou Camara, public works director..

The city gets a one-time utility rebate of $6,700 and will repay Edison SCE for advancing capital costs through a line item on its power bill through the utility’s on-bill financing program.

Camara estimates it will take five to six years to repay. “The project not only benefits our environment by reducing greenhouse gases, but also save the city money as well,” he said.

That work is in addition to a well and four pumps that were replaced at a tank site in the city’s industrial park. “It was time to replace the pumps and we did it with newer and more energy-efficient equipment,” he said.

“Even in these economically challenging times, energy efficiency is possible,” added Barbara McCurdy Marty, economic development manager. “Make sure you talk to your electric and gas provider about any incentives they may offer.”

(Photo of Hanford's China Alley)

Vampire power targeted by manufacturer

Vampire power.

Trendy.

Actually, this is serious stuff and wastes huge amounts of energy in most homes across the globe. Belkin International Inc. sees profit in helping people corral kilowatts, unveiling four more products under its Conserve line.

The move makes sense to Belkin, which commissioned a December 2009 survey by Horizon Research that showed 81 percent of respondents indicated they would “make sure to reduce their household use of electricity that month if they noticed that their electricity bill was too high the previous month.”

Belkin also said in a release:

• The average cost of energy wasted from home electronic entertainment devices left on but not in use is $76 per year.



• 1.2 billion metric tons of CO2 is produced to generate electricity for one year of residential use in the U.S.



• 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity are consumed in the U.S. for standby power.

Earth2Tech.com's Jeff St. John writes: "Three of (Belkin's new products) — a power strip, mobile device-charging station and wall socket timer that help save on standby or wasted power — look a lot like the existing Conserve power strip and surge protector for offices.

"The fourth device, the Conserve Insight monitor, is a bit more interesting. For $29.99, the Insight lets you measure power use by watts, dollars and cents and carbon footprint from any appliance or device that plugs into a wall socket."

Interesting.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Jerry Brown unveils green job plan

Jerry Brown unveiled his green jobs initiative today, saying he wants to appoint a czar to head efforts to create 500,000 jobs in renewable energy in California.

Brown and businesswoman Meg Whitman are battling to be the next governor.

The San Jose Mercury News says Brown, who pushed for energy-efficiency standards when he was first governor in the 1970s, wants California to produce 20,000 additional megawatts of renewable electricity by 2020 by placing solar systems on schools, parking structures and commercial structures, and by pursuing incentives for energy-efficiency programs for homes and businesses.

His proposal, according to earth2tech's Katie Fehrenbacher, calls for 12,000 megawatts of solar photovoltaics, 8,000 megawatts of large scale solar thermal, more energy storage and the required transmission lines to connect solar thermal to consumers that would use it.

Brown also said he wants to cut red tape in the permit process required for transmission lines to be built.

He made his comments in Silicon Valley, the home turf of Republican Republican nominee Meg Whitman. She doesn't have an official green jobs position on her Web site http://www.megwhitman.com/platform_topic.php?type=jobs&page=1 but has said she wants to suspend AB 32, the state's greenhouse gas bill. She also lists tax credits and tax cuts to stimulate job growth. Tax cuts include elimination of the $800 start-up fee businesses are required to pay and a factory tax, and getting rid of the state's capital gains tax.

She would provide a tax credit to encourage investment for agriculture in water conservation technology and increase the research and development tax credit offered to business from 15% to 20%.

It's a campaign that we at the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization will watch closely.
After all, the Valley has some of the highest energy bills and lowest incomes in the state.

The SJVCEO is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Electro-bacteria take a step forward

Bacteria that produce hydrogen, munch waste-water goo and generate electricity in the process may be on their way to producing a viable energy source.

Prathap Parameswaran and his colleagues at Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University have discovered a more efficient method to extract energy from the bacteria. A statement from ASU describes it this way: "Microbial electrochemical cells ... are able to use bacterial respiration as a means of liberating electrons, which can be used to generate current and make clean electricity. With minor reconfiguring such devices can also carry out electrolysis, providing a green path to hydrogen production."

The key? Relationships. Add some bacteria called homo-acetogens to the "sticky matrix of sugar and protein" formed by the original "anode" bacteria and the anodes "could convert hydrogen to current more efficiently," the ASU report says.

Tina Casey with CleanTechnica.com reported Sunday that while "the field of microbial fuel cells is still relatively new, ... it has been developing rapidly thanks in part to interest by the U.S. military’s move away from fossil fuels." She also mentioned in a post Sunday that "New Zealand researchers have been exploring a process for reclaiming high pressure steam from waste water, which can be used to generate electricity" and that in the United States, a number of companies are converting waste water to biofuel.

And the ASU researchers acknowledge being a long way from commercialization of the process. Cesar Torres, a co-author of the study, said: "I think over the next five to 10 years, the community will bring a lot of information that will be really helpful and that will lead us to good applications."

For more on microbial energy developments, read this past post on algae biofuels.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Photo courtesy ASU.

AB 811 program derailed in Placer County

A pilot program in which Fresno and Kern counties are participating faces increased obstacles following challenges from mortgage stalwarts Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

A story in today's Sacramento Business Journal chronicles how the fallout has stalled Placer County's Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, program of $1.5 million in residential energy efficiency upgrades.

The program operates under AB 811 and is designed to allow property owners to install renewable energy, energy efficiency and water efficiency projects and pay for them through their mortgage bills.

"This really hit us out of the blue,” said Janill Richards, a supervising deputy attorney general in Jerry Brown’s office, in the story by the Journal's Michael Shaw. "Last year they indicated they were fully supportive of PACE programs here in California."

Fallout began when Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae issued letters to lenders questioning the PACE program. The debate appears to come down to issue raised in these sentences in Fannie Mae: "PACE loans generally have automatic first lien priority over previously recorded mortgages. The terms of the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Uniform Security Instruments prohibit loans that have senior lien status to a mortgage."

The PACE concept also drew opposition in Riverside County where there was a competing program.

Other cities and counties in the San Joaquin Valley had been considering joining a program called CaliforniaFIRST, which charges a one-time set-up fee that is based on population.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Tulare Leads The Way In Energy Innovation

Seven cheese and milk plants in the city of Tulare produce 7 million gallons of thick untreated wastewater per day.

That’s roughly equal to what Fresno’s 500,000 population (8 times larger than Tulare) creates daily. Obviously, Tulare’s wastewater treatment plant gets a heavy workout, which is reflected in the plant’s $2.5 million annual power bill.

So, city officials have embarked on a creative mission to reduce power costs wherever possible. They installed fluorescent street lights, replaced inefficient air conditioners and added reflective coating to cool roofs of public buildings.

And they’ve aggressively sought to cut costs at the wastewater plant. The city is installing a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant, financed in part through a federal energy-efficiency block grant, to help power the facility. The solar plant will save about $184,000 per year in energy costs, said Lewis R. Nelson, the city’s public works director.

In addition, a fourth biogas fuel cell is being built at the site. When finished in October, the cells, which are fed by the effluent from the milk dairy plants, will generate about $1 million worth of power annually.

Nelson said the city wants to do more with clean energy, and has plans for a waste-to-energy plant on 18 acres.

“In these budget times, it pays to spend a bit to save a lot over time,” he said.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Pacific Ethanol expects to emerge from bankruptcy

A deal between Pacific Ethanol Inc. and its lenders will enable the Sacramento-based company to shed significant debt and move forward with bankruptcy reorganization, officials have said.

The Chapter 11 reorganization plan, approved by a judge in Delaware and expected to become effective at the end of the month, would eliminate about $290 million of debt and other liabilities and provide a line of credit of up to $15 million that could be expanded later, officials said Wednesday.

"New liquidity and low debt levels provided by the plan support our efforts to optimize operations at the two facilities currently running, and as market conditions permit, resume operations at the two idled facilities," said Neil Koehler, CEO and president, in a statement. "We are optimistic about the future of the ethanol industry and the success of our company.”

The idled plants are outside Madera and Stockton and are expected to restart production eventually. Three of the company's four plant shut down early last year. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2009.

The Sacramento Bee's Dale Kasler reported today that Pacific Ethanol "fell victim to a dramatic drop in ethanol prices brought on by a glut in supply." He said prices for the fuel additive since "have recovered, production is perking up – and analysts say another glut is possible."

Under the plan, company said, ownership will be transferred but Pacific Ethanol will continue to staff, manage and operate its four manufacturing plants for a fee and profit sharing. The company also "will continue marketing ethanol for third parties as well as the ethanol" produced by the plants. Pacific Ethanol would have the option to purchase up to 25% of the new company.

Pacific Ethanol, which trades under PEIX on Nasdaq, closed at 79 cents per share, up 2 cents or 3.8 percent.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Valley Man Raising Money for Climate Ride

Being an environmentalist and an avid bike rider, Sam Geil jumped at the chance to participate in Climate Ride California 2010, which raises money for green causes.

The 57-year-old president of family-owned Geil Enterprises and founder of the International Green Industry Hall of Fame in Fresno is hopping on his bike and joining two other Valley men in the 300-mile ride from Eureka to San Francisco Sept 21-25.

Geil, attorney Paul Fromson and businessman Steve Orlando have formed a team, San JoaquinValley Express, to make the trek.

The event raises funds for Rails-To-Trails Conservancy, green jobs through Green America and 1Sky, which focuses on climate education. Geil also is raising money to support the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which fights cancer.

Geil has raised $1,800 toward his goal of $2,400. Donations will be accepted through July. To contribute, visit the Web site or his support page.

Geil became an active bike rider after recovering from back surgery. He said Climate Ride California is a good way to raise fund for important causes, keep him in shape and satisfies his desire to do something "extreme."

His International Green Industry Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and organizations for achievements in the green movement.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

DOE orders companies to stop selling pumps, AC

Three companies have been ordered to stop selling 61 models of heat pumps and an AC unit, federal officials said today.

The U.S. Department of Energy said on its Web site that Aspen Manufacturing Inc., Summit Manufacturing and Advanced Distributor Products must halt distribution of "the noncompliant models and to notify all previous buyers." Should the manufacturers fail to follow through with the order, "DOE will seek a judicial order."

The manufacturers failed to certify the products covered by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act with the agency. DOE said it subsequently found that Aspen Manufacturing had certified 58 heat pumps models and one air conditioner model that failed to meet federal energy efficiency standards by up to 7 percent. DOE also found one heat pump model manufactured by Summit Manufacturing that failed the energy-use standards by about 16 percent, as well as two heat pump models manufactured by Advanced Distributor Products that missed the standard by 1 percent to 2 percent.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Guide helps schools reduce energy use

San Diego County Office Of Education ENERGY PLANNING GUIDE

View more documents from California Center for Sustainable Energy.

School districts interested in saving money through energy efficiency and incorporating green practices into future construction projects may be interested in a planning guide just released by the San Diego County Office of Education.

The 43-page guide was produced with the California Center for Sustainable Energy and, while specifically targeting San Diego, is geared to any school district nationwide. The center pitches the report as a "plain language resource for understanding how to approach reducing district-wide energy consumption in schools through energy improvement projects."

It's written for facilities managers, but others can glean information from its pages. The guide spells out what it takes to reduce energy use, some of the programs that can be accessed to help pay for it and policies in California -- for instance, AB 32, or the Global Warming Solutions Act -- that make cutting greenhouse gas emissions a matter of priority.

It mentions the importance of benchmarking buildings, which means establishing a facility's energy use based on utility consumption data. And it spells out the simplest ways of going about that task through upgrades in lighting (exchanging T12 fluorescents to smaller T8s), air conditioning and other mechanical systems.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Algae biofuel gains believers, but could it come to the Valley?

Algae, wood chips and switch grass make up the feedstock for the next generation of biofuels -- a sector poised for rapid growth, according to a recently released U.S. Department of Agriculture study.

The study, "Next-Generation Biofuels: Near-Term Challenges and Implications
for Agriculture," by William T. Coyle also says next generation biofuel production capacity should reach 88 million gallons in the United States, just a fraction of the 10.8 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol consumed in 2009. Coyle says the sector is expected to surpass 350 million gallons in 2012.

One of the more intriguing is algae. A past SJVCEO post mentioned an algae-biofuel-powered dirigible. The algae-biofuel concept has attracted more than 30 U.S. companies experimenting with different approaches.

Coyle says algae has high potential yield and can be cultivated on marginal land, something the parched central San Joaquin Valley has no shortage of. "Interest in algae as a feedstock is driven by algae’s high potential yield per acre. Some companies grow algae in photo-bioreactors and others in open ponds, with yields potentially greater than 5,000 gallons per acre, by far the greatest potential of any feedstock for conversion to biofuels."

Despite high costs -- from $9 per gallon to $35 per gallon, compared with less than $3 per gallon for cellulosic ethanol -- many believe cost competitiveness can be achieved for algae-based fuels and those made from other materials.

University of California Merced Professor J. Elliot Campbell received nationwide attention for a study completed during his postdoctoral appointment at Stanford, concluding that the United States could meet up to 6 percent of its energy needs with biofuels produced on "marginal" ag land.

"It's been suggested that biofuels production on prime agricultural land could accelerate global climate change," Campbell said in a statement. "We looked at what we call marginal land – for example, farmlands in the Eastern U.S. that were abandoned as the center of agriculture shifted west."

Cellulosic ethanol, produced from material like grass and sticks, also is moving forward to commercial production. The ZeaChem Inc. plant in Boardman, Ore. opened last week.

The Valley has a number of features that make it perfect as a center of alternative energy production -- laser-flat land, sun-drenched days and proximity to power transmission lines.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Training for California's green building code

Training sessions are scheduled for contractors and others interested in learning more about California's new green building code standards, which take effect in 2011, and are some of the most stringent in the nation.

CalGreen has new regulations regarding water conservation, energy efficiency, reduction of construction waste and other green measures.

To help prepare industry professionals, the California Building Standards Commission and state Department of Housing and Community Development are sponsoring training sessions starting June 16 in San Diego.

Seminars will be held throughout California through December, including one on July 29 in Fresno. Cost: $65 for public sector; $95 for private sector. Online registration: http://www.green-technology.org/calgreen/

Questions: 626-577-5700.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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

Airship goes green with biofuel

Airships haven't really had much going for them on a grand commercial scale since the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. But Mike Lawson, chief executive of E-Green Technologies, wants to change that.

As reported by Alternative Energy news, Lawson test-inflated an airship dubbed the Bullet 580 recently at Garret Coliseum in Alabama and says the 235-foot long, 65-foot diameter vessel "will usher in the return of inflatable giant airships."

Alternative Energy said Lawson hopes to use the ships in "sightseeing, carrying heavy loads, as near-space satellite for broadcasting communications, weather watch, and geophysical surveying and monitoring any untoward events like oil spills, etc."

The ship is covered with a type of Kevlar, one-sixteenth of an inch thick. The ship cost £5.5 million, or about $8 million, and runs on algae-based fuel, the "latest bio-fuel that can be developed from brackish and waste water." The Bullet uses helium rather than the Hindenburg's hydrogen.

We'll be watching to see how it goes.

The Kellyton, Ala. company is hardly the only one with an airship these days. Airship Ventures, based in Moffett Field near Sunnyvale, flies the Eureka, a Zeppelin NT airship, around the San Francisco Bay Area on daily sightseeing flights, advertising operations, corporate and event occasions and scientific missions.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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

San Diego seeks to be leader in solar energy

Research at University of California, San Diego, could help result in the next generation of solar technology.

The university and Sanyo North America Corp. are joining forces in a $3 million, three-year partnership that a Sanyo official told the San Diego Union Tribune could help make the Southern California community "the most advanced green city in the world."

In a related matter, Kyocera has started making solar modules in San Diego. The manufacturing line supports a business goal of making 1,000 megawatts worth of solar cells annually by March 2013.

The alliance between UC San Diego and Sanyo will focus on finding reliable power production when the sun isn't shining. This is what the newspaper's Mike Lee reported:

"By early next year, Sanyo plans to place about 20 of its new-era batteries on campus for faculty and students to study. The devices — about the size of a typical DVD player — are part of what Sanyo calls its 'smart energy system.' It is designed to produce green power, store it and use it efficiently to reduce carbon emissions. "

Increasingly, colleges are getting into the solar research business in a big way. UC Merced, in our very own San Joaquin Valley, is a leader in the research as well. Check out what Professor David Kelley is doing.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization 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.

Energy Efficiency, Jobs Top Seminar Agenda

Whole-house retrofits. Cash for Caulkers. Green jobs.

There is a confusing litany of energy-efficiency and training programs either available or soon to debut, and the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board held a workshop in an attempt to sort through them.

About 150 contractors and industry professionals from throughout California descended on the Edison AgTAC building in Tulare. There, they learned more about the federal Home Star (AKA Cash for Caulkers), Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) and other programs/opportunities being financed through government stimulus funds.

"This was a crucial opportunity for Valley contractors to become introduced to several new energy initiatives for homeowners," said Adam Peck, the WIB's executive director. "We were able to bring in experts from all over the state."

Also in attendance were representatives of the VIEW partnership, which is a collaboration between the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization; the cities of Hanford, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, and Woodlake; and the counties of Kings and Tulare with Southern California Edison (SCE) and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®).

The Home Star program, currently being discussed by lawmakers, would provide tax credits to homeowners who upgrade their houses. The PACE program enables property owners to finance energy upgrades, including solar panels, through property taxes.

Participation in PACE could allow homeowners to make more significant upgrades, thus reducing energy bills significantly. A recent study that we highlighted recently elaborated on the effects of a "deeper shade of green."

Those retrofits require skilled workers, which could be a boost as the nation struggles through what some call the Great Recession.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Reno Gambles On Wind Energy, Solar

The gaming mecca of Reno is placing a big bet on clean energy.

It became the first city in America to put wind turbines on the roof of City Hall.

The 17-story building was selected because a string of tall buildings causes a wind tunnel of sorts, the city said.

And city officials won't stop there, telling the Reno Gazette Journal that two more turbines will be placed on a parking garage in July.

All told, nine machines will be placed around the city, part of a test with results to be reported to the U.S. Department of Energy.

City officials also are placing solar arrays on government buildings.

The turbines and solar panels cost $3.5 million before $1.7 million in energy rebates, but federal stimulus funds are picking up the rest. The projects are expected to save the city $91,000 per year in energy costs.

Maybe Reno will be a trend setter, and we'll see more wind turbines and solar panels sprout up in other places - like the San Joaquin Valley where summer temps peak in triple digits and power bills run high.

Fresno has solar panels at the airport, Fresno State University and some other places, but the Valley, with abundant sun, bountiful agriculture resources and access to a transmission line, has rich opportunities for more alternative energy.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization 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.

(Photo of Reno City Hall)

Cellulosic ethanol closer to commercial production?

Cellulosic ethanol, long hailed as a piece of the puzzle for helping the nation solve its energy woes, moved a step closer to commercial production with the opening of the ZeaChem Inc. plant this week in Boardman, Ore.

The plant initially will produce ethyl acetate, a precursor to cellulosic ethanol, company officials said in a statement. ZeaChem intends to add cellulosic production next year, using a U.S. Department of Energy grant.

Cellulosic is the next step in biofuel movement. The technology extracts and ferments sugars from such sources as trees and grasses to produce the alcohol. Commercial production of the more traditional ethanol -- made from corn -- has suffered some recent swings in the market.

Pacific Ethanol Inc. officials said in April that they hope the company's restructuring plan will enable it to gain enough liquidity to restart production at its ethanol manufacturing plants in Stockton and Madera.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski liked ZeaChem's plan. "ZeaChem’s biorefinery in Boardman is another example of our effort to attract green companies and advance the development of cellulosic ethanol as a viable renewable energy resource," he said. "Companies like ZeaChem will help drive Oregon’s economy in the 21st century as well as move us toward greater energy security and independence."

Home energy audits gain believers

The practice of performing energy audits using money tapped from the public sector continues to spread.

Thurston County in Washington state recently won a $1 million U.S. Department of Energy grant and is offering individual analysis of homes for as low as $95, according to a story by John Dodge in the Olympian. The service comes by way of Thurston Energy, a program offered by the Thurston Climate Action Team and Thurston County Economic Development Council.

Dodge wrote that after a four-hour audit of a home, Bernie Miller of Quality Renovation and Carpentry found significant savings for the homeowners of a 1913 home if they insulate around the base of the basement, replace their old hot water heater and insulate the duct work for their natural gas heating system.

“This program is definitely going to keep me busy,” Miller told Dodge. “I’m already looking to bring another employee on board.”

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization likewise is interested in energy efficiency. It one of the group's main directives and part and parcel of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Program allocations that the SJVCEO is working on with 39 Valley jurisdictions.

The SJVCEO also is also interested in expanding its efforts into the residential realm. The goal would be similar to that of Thurston County, which links homeowners with reasonably priced audits through the private sector.

The preferred method by SJVCEO is dubbed "whole house" and takes into consideration the entire building along with its heating, cooling and lighting systems.

The SJVCEO is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

The Next Big Trends In Clean Energy?

If patent patterns are any indication, the emphasis in clean energy will be solar, fuel cell and hybrid/electric vehicle technology.

Patents in those three areas reached record levels in first quarter 2010, according to the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index published by the intellectual property law firm of Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti. The number of patents related to clean energy increased 13%, with Honda, General Motors and Samstrung leading the pack.

The number of fuel cell patents increased by 20 from the fourth quarter, while solar patents were up 11 and hybrid/electric vehicle patents increased from 17 to 50. Solar patents topped wind for two consecutive quarters for the first time since 2005, the report said.

Patents related to wind fell 9% and biofuel patents held their own.

Japan, Michigan and California were the Big 3 when applications were tracked by geography.

Will all the new patents translate into significant clean energy projects? We'll see. The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization, which works to keep energy costs down in an area where power bills are among the highest and incomes among the lowest, is deeply interested in the outcome.

Landmark Mendota solar project dedicated

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn't able to attend the dedication of a pioneering solar power plant today near Mendota, but he offered his comments anyway, according to getsolar.com.

He said the facility is evidence that renewable and clean energy is a vital piece of California's energy portfolio, which must reduce dependency upon oil.

The 5-megawatt plant, which contains 50,000 solar panels on 50 acres, is the first solar farm to fire up on the west side of Fresno County under the state's renewable portfolio standard created in 2002. The standard requires utilities to increase procurement from eligible renewable energy resources by at least 1% of their retail sales annually until reaching 20% this year.

In 2009, renewables made up about 15% of the total, according to the California Public Utilities Commission.

As we said earlier, At least 12 solar projects are proposed for the west side of the Valley - where high jobless rates, lots of flat vacant land and agreeable civic leaders - but The Fresno Bee reported earlier that Cleantech America (now Meridian Energy USA) farm is the first to become operational.

An important component is the collaboration with West Hills College and school districts in Mendota, Firebaugh and San Joaquin. Together, they developed a training program for 65 people to work in the solar industry.

Experts say ample sun resources, high energy bills and low incomes make the inland portion of California an ideal spot to locate solar projects, in addition to other forms of alternative and clean energy.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.




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Energy efficiency and pocketbook values

Here's a blog that should appeal to architects and green builders in the San Joaquin Valley - especially considering triple digit temps are on the horizon and power bills heat up during the summer.

Please note what three cities - Hesperia, Laguna Niguel and Santa Clarita - are doing with stimulus money. It'll be interesting to see what the future brings in the way of energy conservation, efficiency and sustainable development.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.

Yosemite gets largest solar array in park system

Yosemite National is Park expected to start installing the park system's largest solar array this summer, a $4.4 million project that will feature photovoltaic panels on rooftops of existing buildings and on newly constructed shade shelters.

The estimated energy bills savings is $104,000 annually. The 539-kilowatt system will be at El Portal, Yosemite's administrative center, which receives the most direct sunlight, officials said.

The installation money is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The system will be the largest in the National Park system, and will double the electricity produced through renewable enegy for the park service's Pacific West Region.

Paragon Industrial Applications of Atascadero is doing the installation.

Yosemite's array will be the largest, but not the only solar system planned for national parks. In fact, solar systems are planned for coast to coast - from Alcatraz to Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, according to sunpluggers.com.

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state also is getting solar on buildings.

Here's more on National Park Service goals from SecurityInfoWatch.com.

Yosemite is a short distance from Fresno, which has an airport with an innovative solar project and where the San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is based. Maybe we'll take a drive and check out the new solar panels.

The San Joaquin Valley Clean Energy Organization is a nonprofit dedicated to improving our region's quality of life by increasing its production and use of clean and alternative 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.