Daily Archive: August 27, 2023

Can California Cropland Be Repurposed For Community Solar?

When you think of solar power, California undoubtedly comes to mind. The state’s strong climate goals paired with abundant sunshine have helped California reach record rooftop and utility-scale solar buildout. But surprisingly, its community solar programs (not to be confused with community choice aggregation) haven’t been able to gain traction. Out of the 5,700 megawatts […]

Tesla Powerwall owners will boost Texas power grid, make money

Tesla Powerwall  -  Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.Texas is launching a "virtual power plant" pilot program that will reward Tesla Powerwall owners for using their in-home battery packs to support the grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state's electricity grid, was directed to begin developing the pilot program in 2022 by the Public Utility Commission of...

How Wind Can Help Us Breathe Easier

Power generation from wind energy has the benefit of not contributing to global warming or polluting the air. But what is the monetary value of this benefit? Before diving into estimating the societal benefits of wind energy, let’s first look at the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere from different energy technologies, […]