The New Race: Speeding up Climate Change Innovation

This article will initially summarize the current climate change regulatory environment and the need for innovation. It will then discuss why current intellectual property policies fail to encourage innovation to the extent needed. Finally, this article will examine various proposals for improving our intellectual property system in the area of climate change and recommend initial steps the U.S. could take to encourage the development and disclosure of climate change innovations by balancing economic incentives for innovation with the need to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions

An Integrated Green Urban Electrical Grid

This Article will discuss the vision of a new green urban grid that relies on decentralized generation and storage, energy efficiency, and demand response. Much of the literature focuses on the development of aspects of the green grid, such as energy efficiency, without consideration of how these resources should be integrated to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, maintain reliability, and create economic opportunity. After discussing the components of the green urban grid, this Article will discuss why integrating these components is essential to meeting renewable policy goals, and finally, this Article will discuss steps that regulators and policymakers can take to encourage the development of this integrated green urban grid

Comments on the EPA’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act, 73 Fed. Reg. 44354 (July 30, 2008)

On behalf of Communities for a Better Environment and Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic at Golden Gate University submits these comments in response to EPA’s Federal Register publication of its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Regulating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Under the Clean Air Act, which solicits public comment on how to respond to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA and how to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. 73 Fed. Reg. 44354 (July 30, 2008)

Why California Failed to Meet Its RPS Target

Congress and states are developing and implementing plans to mitigate the impact of climate change through measures that reduce greenhouse gases. Many of these efforts are focused on the electrical generation industry since approximately 40% of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States are created from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity. To reduce the greenhouse gases produced by the electrical industry sector, many greenhouse reduction plans have required increased generation of electricity through renewable, less-polluting, resources which mandates electric utilities to obtain a percentage of their power from renewable resources. Congress has attempted to follow suit by proposing several different versions of legislation for a national RPS. One of the most aggressive RPS requirements is in California, which requires 20% of the state\u27s energy to be generated from renewable resources by 2010 and 33% by 2020. Although California has expended significant resources towards meeting its RPS, it did not meet its 20% goal by 2010. Despite failing to meet its RPS targets, California utilities have justified continuing to build many new natural gas facilities by arguing that more natural gas capacity is necessary to backup renewables. This article will examine and describe some reasons why California did not meet its renewable target in 2010. California\u27s failure is attributable to the confluence of several factors that resulted in the procurement of large amounts of new natural gas facilities despite not meeting renewable requirements and already high reserve margins.· Three prominent reasons for California\u27s failure to meet its RPS are decentralized administration of its RPS program, the lack of strong enforcement provisions, and California\u27s extensive reliance on utility information instead of an independent analysis. Moving forward, California should enact enforceable clear requirements that are administered by one centralized agency, which conducts an independent assessment of renewable policies and goals

An Integrated Green Urban Electrical Grid

This Article will discuss the vision of a new green urban grid that relies on decentralized generation and storage, energy efficiency, and demand response. Much of the literature focuses on the development of aspects of the green grid, such as energy efficiency, without consideration of how these resources should be integrated to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, maintain reliability, and create economic opportunity. After discussing the components of the green urban grid, this Article will discuss why integrating these components is essential to meeting renewable policy goals, and finally, this Article will discuss steps that regulators and policymakers can take to encourage the development of this integrated green urban grid

Report by GGU and UC Berkeley Faculty Finds CPUC ex parte Rules Unusual and Needing Reform

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has an unusual way of doing business. Most state and federal regulatory agencies prohibit private, closed-door discussions with interested parties about contested matters (ex parte communications)