Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your last wEEkly updates for 2016 - and the last one from me specifically as we will be bringing on a new Best Practices Coordinator in 2017! We hope you enjoy your holiday break!

Currents: Winter 2016

In this issue of Currents, we feature a broad range of articles that highlight local projects, celebrate success, and discuss emergent trends:

• Introducing the ZNE Hub for Local Governments
• Collective Impact in the Gateway Cities
• Emergent Trends for Local Governments in 2017
• An EPIC Approach to Deploying Advanced Energy Communities
• Spotlight on Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance
• On-the-Ground Local Capacity Building Projects

News and Opportunities

Bill Gates and Investors Worth $170B Launching a Fund for Energy Innovation
Bill Gates is leading a more than $1 billion fund focused on fighting climate change by investing in clean energy innovation. He was among 28 wealthy individuals and families signed on to the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a group broadly committed to investing in this area.

CA Agency Recommends Low-Income Energy and Water Legislation and Task Force
On December 14th, the CEC approved the SB 350 Barriers Study mandated by SB 350 to address barriers for low-income households and disadvantaged communities to participate in energy efficiency and renewables opportunities. The California Housing Partnership will work with partners on legislative and regulatory efforts to use this study's findings to advance transformative equity goals and metrics, energy and water program alignment, the availability of one-stop technical services, and effective financing pilots designed for low-income rental housing in California.

SJV Regional Workshop: Overcoming Barriers to Local Adaptation

San Joaquin Valley Regional Workshop: Overcoming Barriers to Local Adaptation

Tuesday, January 10th, 1:00 - 5:00 PM 

Parc Grove Commons, Fresno, CA

Join us for an interactive, discussion-based workshop to discuss financial and organizational barriers that local governments in the San Joaquin Valley face in implementing community resilience projects, as well as strategies to overcome these barriers.

Participants will have a unique opportunity to share and learn about existing needs and opportunities available in the San Joaquin Valley to better address drought, air quality, water quality, extreme heat, and other related climate change issues. Participants will learn about practical opportunities to fund adaptation and how to move their organizations to higher levels of capacity to advance resiliency work in the region.

We encourage you to attend this workshop if you work in, with, or for local governments on adaptation research, planning, financing, funding, and/or implementation.

Register Here: https://sjv-adaptation-workshop.eventbrite.com

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

Peer-to-Peer Requests

Triple-Bottom-Line Accounting
A local government agency has requested information on cities and counties that practice triple-bottom-line or sustainable accounting. If your city or county has implemented triple-bottom-line accounting, or if you have any related resources, please let me know and I will get you in contact with this agency.

News and Opportunities

California Approves First US Energy Efficiency Standards for Computers
The new standards, approved by California's Energy Commission, requires most computers to draw less power while idle. Laptops are only required to see a slight reduction in power draw since they're already designed to be energy efficient. But only 6% of desktops currently meet the commission's standards. On average, noncompliant desktops will have to reduce their idle power draw by about 30% by 2019 and by about 50% by 2021, the commission says.

An Update on California's Distributed Energy Leadership
In a unanimous decision yesterday, California regulators created a new financial incentive pilot that encourages utilities to invest in DERs instead of more expensive traditional grid investments.

Microgrids Continue to Progress - With Some Bumps in the Road
Microgrids increasingly are being seen as a hedge against grid failure and as a way to more efficiently harness renewable resources. However, there is uncertainty for the future of microgrids as they grow at different rates in different areas and with potential decreases in research and development with the new Administration.

SoCal Gas Advisory: A Call to Conserve

SoCal Gas is implementing a call to conserve this winter season. If you are a current customer see how you can be notified of advisory days and ways to conserve.

Let's Dial it Down, Southern California

SoCalGas® has developed a voluntary call to consumers called a SoCalGas Advisory. Every winter the demand for natural gas increases as we heat our homes and businesses. This winter, we are facing limited availability of natural gas locally. That's why we are asking all Southern Californians to work together to help conserve natural gas on certain days. If a SoCalGas Advisory is called, you can help Southern California conserve natural gas by: Lowering your thermostat to 68 degrees Waiting a day to use major natural gas appliances Washing with cold water, when possible Sign up below to receive SoCalGas Advisories if an advisory is called, or call 1-800-427-2200 for more information.   SoCalGas Advisory Connect with Us* Explore SoCalGas socalgas.com   |   Ways to Pay   |   Pay Your Bill Online   |   Rebate Programs

SAVE THE DATE: 2017 Energy Summit

Upcoming Workshop: Consumer Choice and Clean Power

Make sure to sign up for this weeks workshop on consumer choice energy and how it can benefit your community. 

Register Here for Visalia!
Register Here for Fresno!

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

News and Opportunities

Reason for Optimism: Making Climate Change Progress in a New Political Era
This month's Livable Places Update from the Local Government Commission attempts to address what the new administration might mean to leadership on climate change, energy, and infrastructure investments.

High Utility Bills Trigger Anxiety and Depression in Low-Income Households
A researcher at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health studied a hidden source of hardship: energy insecurity, the ability to adequately meet basic household energy needs, and its adverse environmental, health, and social consequences. The study provides real-world examples of three dimensions of energy insecurity: economic, physical, and behavioral.

2030 Target Scoping Plan Discussion Draft
ARB released the 2030 Target Scoping Plan Discussion Draft to provide the staff's current thoughts on how to achieve the State's SB 32 climate goal of reducing greenhouse gases of at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. Comments received on the Discussion Draft will inform the development of a comprehensive Proposed 2030 target Scoping Plan, which is expected to be released in January 2017. Comments due December 16, 2016.

RFP: Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentives Program: Best Practices Pilot
The Strategic Growth Council in partnership with the Office of Planning and Research is soliciting proposals for an effort to support local land use planning related to climate and the State's statutory planning priorities. The program funding in the amount of $250,000 will be available for applicants to apply for up to $50,000. These grants will support the development and/or implementation of a specific portion of a land use plan, land protection or management practice, or development project. Proposals due January 11, 2017.

Learn how to stay safe and save energy while traveling this winter

The weather has a habit of changing pretty quickly, especially during the winter season. Powerful winter storms driven by jet streams that often exceed 200 mph can bring copious amounts of snow and ice, along with blowing snow and whiteout conditions. In some cases the temperature can drop over 50 degrees in a matter of hours.We are here to help guide you safety and conservation this winter.




Being aware of the weather conditions when traveling is crucial to ensuring a safe journey. According to the Department of Transportation, each year 24 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement and 15 percent happen during snowfall or sleet. Over 1,300 people are killed and more than 116,800 people are injured in vehicle crashes on snowy, slushy, or icy pavement annually.

Statewide LG EE Best Practices: Weekly Update

Here are your wEEkly updates:

Request for ZNE Resources

The Local Government Commission through SEEC is developing a robust toolkit for local governments on zero net energy. The toolkit aims to compile valuable resources and case studies in a single location in an easy to navigate, interactive online format. If you have come across any ZNE-related resources of particular value, please share it with me at jkim@lgc.org.

News and Opportunities

How Locals Can Continue Momentum on Climate Change
While we face serious questions about the potential effects of changes in legislative and budgetary support for environmental action in California, we can draw inspiration and implementation lessons from local models to continue progress toward a low-carbon and resilient future.

GREEN and EEFA Develop 2017 Priorities for EE, Water, and Renewables
Sixty leaders from housing, energy, environmental, and workforce development organizations gathered in LA and AF to help the California Housing Partnerhip's Green Rental Home EE Network (GREEN), NRDC, and EE for All (EEFA) partners set priorities for 2017.

COP22: Key Outcomes Agreed at the UN Climate Talks in Marrakech
When negotiators from almost 200 countries arrived in Marrakech for the latest annual climate change conference, COP22, it was being touted as an opportunity to showcase progress and start the important process of turning the UN's Paris Agreement into a detailed blueprint for action.

NOAA Weather Ready Winter Safety Tips

As we approach the first day of winter make sure you aware of how to dress to stay warm for the colder temperatures. 

Interested in becoming a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador, Click here.

What Has SJVCEO Been up to in November

We hope everyone had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving holiday. Here at SJVCEO we were able to take a few days away from work to enjoy family and friends. Now that we are back to work we are wrapping up items for 2016 as well as beginning the planning process for 2017. 

The VIEW Partnership has wrapped up its last monthly meeting of the year. All of our partners have worked very hard to reach our energy saving goals for the year. The partnership is happy to say that two of our partners, the City of Hanford and Kings County, will be participating in Southern California Edison's Charge Ready Program. This program allows municipalities to partner with them on the instillation of electric vehicle stations on their property. Edison will install and maintain the supporting electrical infrastructure, the cost of which will be covered by the program, and the municipalities will own, operate and maintain qualified charging stations. The projects are just now going through proper channels for approval. The partnership hopes to document the progress of the projects and share that with the public once it completed.