ojai blog - news and events in the Ojai community

The Ojai Post

in case you haven't noticed... i'm doing all of my blogging over at The Ojai Post...

The Ojai Post

The Ojai Post is a community blog, featuring Ojai residents from all walks of life writing about the unique Ojai experience. Ojai is a special place, not just for its geography, flora and fauna, small-town architecture and rich native American history - its also because of the people - talented, creative souls who tend to walk to the beat of their own drummer and carve their own path through life. Check in for daily musings, rants, Ojai news and greater goings-on from the place some call Shangri-La.

Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit launching websites.  Happy March 1, Ojai.

Ojai Biodiesel Community Meeting

Ojai Biodiesel Community Meeting
Friday, January 27, 7:00pm, Ojai
Keynote Speaker: Kent Bullard

Kent is one of the major mover/shakers to bring the concept and reality of biodiesel to the central coast. He has personally used biodiesel for four years and was responsible for introducing it to the Channel Islands National Park. Recently he co-founded a biodiesel coop in west Los Angeles which opened on January 7th. This will be a resource and information gathering and networking meeting, filled with facts about what's possible above and below ground. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel for diesel engines which reduces criteria pollutants and our dependence on petroleum fuels, along with the associated geo-political issues. For more info, call Sunshine at 805-646-4428.

1273 S. Rice Rd, Community clubhouse.  Golden Oaks Mobile Home Park
Please park on the street and walk straight into Golden Oaks Mobile Home Park, past the 9th house on your right, the community clubhouse is through the pool gate.

Thanks to Steven from Farmer & The Cook for the heads-up.

The Ojai Network

A little something I've been working on - the Ojai Network.

Solar Initiative Update

Michael Lind passed on this update on the California Million Solar Roofs Campaign from Vote Solar, an advocacy group, whose mission is "to promote a national transition to clean energy by empowering city governments to implement large-scale, cost-effective solar projects":

A short update on the campaign for the California Million Solar Roofs program: Vote Solar has been working with our partner organizations to launch a public outreach campaign to support the passage of the Million Solar Roofs program at the Public Utilities Commission. We’ve had an unprecedented number of groups turn their members loose on the PUC, and it’s making history. In the last two months, more than 43,000 people have now contacted the CPUC in support of passing the Million Solar Roofs program. This is the highest number of public comments that the CPUC has ever received on any issue they have considered, including the California energy crisis.

It's making a difference. On November 15, Administrative Law Judge Kim Malcolm issued an interim decision to increase solar funding to $300 million for next year, the largest it has ever been, and the rebate will be set at $2.80/watt. This is expected to be approved after the 30 day public comment period. On December 13, the PUC is expected to release its proposed decision to create the full ten year, $3 billion solar incentive program. If it is passed in January, this will be the second largest solar program in the world, after Germany's.

Million Solar Roofs Initiative: a reply

I received the following thoughtful reply from State Senator Debra Bowen, in response to my letter in support of SB1, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative.

Thank you for taking the time to contact me with your support for SB 1 (Murray).  Your views on bills and issues facing the Legislature are very important to me and I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.

SB 1 was approved by the Senate earlier this year, but eventually died in the Assembly when a number of the details involved in the measure couldn't be worked out.  As you probably know, the bill was amended late in the session to require prevailing wages to be paid on certain projects and to require all installers to have a particular type of license.  This caused a split in the organized labor community and led the Governor and other Republicans to oppose the bill as well.

Personally, I support renewable energy technology, I have solar panels on my own house, and I really wanted to be able to support SB 1. However, I don't support solar technology - or any technology - "at all costs" and that's why I wasn't able to support SB 1 when it came before me in the Senate earlier this year. 

I've always believed our energy mix should be viewed, to a certain extent, like a 401(k) investment portfolio.  You aren't going to bank your entire future on Google stock (even though right now that looks like a brilliant idea), but at the same time, you're not going to stick every penny you have into municipal bonds either.

The same is true for energy.

There has to be some investment in natural gas, in renewables, in hydro, wind, solar, and in energy efficiency programs.  Energy efficiency is hands-down the cheapest way to get the cleanest power out there and the good news is it's getting cheaper.

On September 22, the Public Utilities Commission did possibly the smartest thing I've seen in some time by taking $2 billion and investing it in energy efficiency programs over the next three years. Energy efficiency programs are running at about 3 cents a kilowatt hour these days, costing us less than any form of generation out there.  The new PUC program will be the equivalent of building about three new 500 megawatt gas-fired plants and this $2 billion investment will save ratepayers an estimated $5.4 billion over three years.

Although energy efficiency is the most cost-effective form of energy at 3 cents a kilowatt hour, conservation alone isn't going to get us where we need to be.  What should our mix of energy be, taking into account stability, efficiency, reliability, and cost?  According to the California Energy Commission, the levelized cost of the various
technologies, which includes the cost of producing, transmitting, and subsidizing each technology (but not the intangible costs of the technology, such as the cost of dealing with air pollution associated with a given power source):

o    Geothermal runs 4.5 cents to 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour.
o    Wind is less than 5 cents, but it isn't reliable and it's not useable at the peak times.
o    Natural gas plants run at just over 5 cents, but we know what happens when we rely too much on natural gas for our electricity.
o    Hydro power runs around 6 cents.
o    Solar power from photo voltaic panels costs more than 42 cents.

This year in Sacramento, there was a great deal of time and energy put into trying to make SB 1 work.  I'm very concerned about "picking" a technology winner as the bill did.  Personally, I'd be a lot more comfortable with SB 1 if it:

1.    Included some rigorous benchmarking and performance standards. You wouldn't toss your money into an investment portfolio, let it sit there, then check back in 20 years to see how it did, so this shouldn't be any different.  Projects should be required to produce a certain amount of power in order to receive any ratepayer-financed subsidy.
2.    Spent the money on public projects - buildings, parking lots, you name it - so all taxpayers would enjoy the benefits equally.

Despite what people say, solar isn't "free."

The sunshine may be free of charge, but the technology needed to turn it into power, which has been one of the most heavily subsidized energy technologies out there for the past two decades, still costs more than 42 cents a kilowatt hour to produce.

Should we be investing in solar power?

Absolutely.

But just as costs shouldn't be the only factor we use to evaluate our energy investments, we also shouldn't be completely ignoring those costs in an effort to provide a $2 billion benefit to one specific type of technology. 

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact me with your support for SB 1.   If you have further questions or need assistance with another state-related measure, please don't hesitate to contact me at (310) 318-6994.

Sincerely,

Debra Bowen
Senator, 28th District

Elton Gallegly supports big oil in energy bill

Ojai's congressional representative, Elton Gallegly, voted today with his fellow Republicans to pass HR 3893, Gasoline for America's Security Act, which narrowly passed by a 212-210 vote.

From the AP:

The House narrowly approved a Republican-crafted energy bill Friday aimed at encouraging construction of new refineries, although opponents said it would do nothing to ease energy prices while handing unneeded benefits to a profit-rich oil industry.

(snip)

The vote, which was supposed to be taken in five minutes, lasted more than 40 minutes as GOP leaders searched for the last two votes they needed to get the bill approved. They buttonholed lawmakers for last-minute lobbying as Democrats complained loudly that the vote should be closed. Finally two GOP lawmakers switched from "no" to "yes," giving the bill's supporters the margin of victory.

(snip)

"The bill weakens state and federal environmental standards ... and gives a break to wealthy oil companies while doing little or nothing to affect oil prices," complained Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., one of 13 Republicans who voted against the measure.

But that's OK, its not like the oil industry is "awash in record levels of cash."  I've called Rep. Gallegly's Thousand Oaks office, and told his staff member I would be posting on this story.  They, as always, are welcome to respond, but thus far have a perfect track record of not responding to my previous three inquiries on various subjects.

Solar Homes legislation

Solar Homes Bill SB1 is legislation designed to accelerate the adoption of solar power in California.  Some info from the fact sheet follows.  If we as Californians continue down our path of susceptability to energy pirates like Enron, and if we as Americans continue down our path of dependence on oil from Iraq, Venezuela, Russia and other foreign nations, we're in for a bumpy ride.  It is imperative that we continue to innovate, develop and commercialize renewable energy sources.  This legislation is a good step on the path.

INSTALLING SOLAR POWER PLANTS ON ROOFTOPS ACROSS THE STATE

The goal of SB 1 is to build half of all new homes with solar power and to install a million solar roofs by 2017. Together, these two goals would bring 3,000 megawatts of solar energy over the next 10-15 years. This is equivalent to more than 30 peaking power plants.

WHAT WOULD SB 1 DO?

SB 1, authored by State Senator Kevin Murray (D-Los Angeles) and Senator John Campbell (R-Orange County), would provide a combination of incentives and standards needed to achieve Governor Schwarzenegger’s goal of building half of all new homes with solar power and building a million solar roofs by 2017.

Specifically, SB 1 would:

• Require all builders of large single-family home developments to offer solar power as an option for all new homebuyers. This would give homebuyers the opportunity to save money by incorporating the solar system during construction while allowing architects and designers to begin designing homes for future solar power use;
  

• Require the California Public Utilities Commission to establish a new, designated solar fund large enough to provide rebates needed to achieve the Governor’s million solar roof’s goal.
  

• Require that solar rebates decline each year and zero out within ten years to help make solar power self-sufficient;
  

• Require utilities to buy back excess electricity generated by solar systems up to 5% of peak demand, helping make the investment cost-effective for homeowners and businesses;
  

• Encourage greater energy efficiency in new homes and provide additional support for incorporating solar into affordable housing.
  

Ojai: Environment and Energy notes

I've added two new categories for posts - Energy and Environment. 

The environment, of course, is part of Ojai's very soul.  From a slow-growth policy to the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to advocacy efforts of hikers, campers, nature-lovers, gun owners and environmentalists, the environment is a critical issue vital to the future of our town.

I added energy because its a personal interest, and a subject that has and will continue to have a profound impact on American and global society.  Fossil fuels and other non-renewable resources are becoming severely strained by global demands from the US and developing nations.  We use way more than what is objectively our 'fair share'.  Overwhelming consumption, manifested in such bloated displays as Escalades, Hummers and Supersized fast food meals, and a disdain for any personal responsibility for our energy problems, are issues that I want to address and raise visibility.  I'll post stories on alternative fuels, conservation and other proactive efforts to curb our dependence on foreign oil and move to a sustainable economy.