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

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

From Dirty to Green: Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Environmental Justice Communities

The stifling summer heat that raged across the nation was difficult for everyone, but one group had a more difficult time than others—those who could not afford to cool their homes. Disparities like these will likely only get worse. Poor communities of color that are already vulnerable and disproportionately impacted by pollution will shoulder a larger burden of climate change impacts. These neighborhoods, often called environmental justice communities, have fewer resources to adapt to the effects of climate change. More measures should be taken to increase the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in environmental justice communities before the gap becomes worse. New policies are needed to increase renewable energy development and energy efficiency in environmental justice communities. Current measures are insufficient to help these communities when energy prices and temperatures rise, as they are expected to. The right policies could reduce pollution in areas that are already overburdened and would provide these vulnerable communities with new economic opportunities. To develop new policies, innovative renewable energy structures including on-bill financing and a feed-in tariff should be explored. In addition, policymakers should examine the environmental tools used in settlements, mitigation measures, and pollution fees as potential areas for innovation. Finally, policymakers need to consider: how to assure benefits help the targeted community, gentrification issues, whether a separate entity can administer the program, and the potential legal implications

From Dirty to Green: Increasing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Environmental Justice Communities

The stifling summer heat that raged across the nation was difficult for everyone, but one group had a more difficult time than others—those who could not afford to cool their homes. Disparities like these will likely only get worse. Poor communities of color that are already vulnerable and disproportionately impacted by pollution will shoulder a larger burden of climate change impacts. These neighborhoods, often called environmental justice communities, have fewer resources to adapt to the effects of climate change. More measures should be taken to increase the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in environmental justice communities before the gap becomes worse. New policies are needed to increase renewable energy development and energy efficiency in environmental justice communities. Current measures are insufficient to help these communities when energy prices and temperatures rise, as they are expected to. The right policies could reduce pollution in areas that are already overburdened and would provide these vulnerable communities with new economic opportunities. To develop new policies, innovative renewable energy structures including on-bill financing and a feed-in tariff should be explored. In addition, policymakers should examine the environmental tools used in settlements, mitigation measures, and pollution fees as potential areas for innovation. Finally, policymakers need to consider: how to assure benefits help the targeted community, gentrification issues, whether a separate entity can administer the program, and the potential legal implications

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

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

Examining the Air We Breathe: EPA Should Evaluate Cumulative Impacts When It Promulgates National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Inhaling air pollutants can lead to a variety of adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. This potential risk for health impacts is likely greater when the mixture of pollutants that exists in ambient air, rather than isolated pollutants, are inhaled. Despite the evidence of potential cumulative impacts, EPA has continued to focus its analysis of health impacts on isolated pollutants instead of the actual mixture we breathe. This article proposes that EPA should evaluate and consider cumulative health impacts when it sets national ambient air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. EPA is considering two pollutants together to determine their impact on the environment; it should do the same type of evaluation for human health impacts. Consideration of cumulative health impacts is consistent with the Act’s requirement to set standards at a level requisite to protect public health, could translate into a more accurate way to estimate risks, and could provide a tool for prioritization of emission reductions in the most heavily impacted communities

Examining the Air We Breathe: EPA Should Evaluate Cumulative Impacts When It Promulgates National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Inhaling air pollutants can lead to a variety of adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. This potential risk for health impacts is likely greater when the mixture of pollutants that exists in ambient air, rather than isolated pollutants, are inhaled. Despite the evidence of potential cumulative impacts, EPA has continued to focus its analysis of health impacts on isolated pollutants instead of the actual mixture we breathe. This article proposes that EPA should evaluate and consider cumulative health impacts when it sets national ambient air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. EPA is considering two pollutants together to determine their impact on the environment; it should do the same type of evaluation for human health impacts. Consideration of cumulative health impacts is consistent with the Act’s requirement to set standards at a level requisite to protect public health, could translate into a more accurate way to estimate risks, and could provide a tool for prioritization of emission reductions in the most heavily impacted communities

New Laws Aim to Make State Greener

On April 12, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the highest renewable portfolio standard in the country. Senate Bill X1 2 requires that 33 percent of energy sold in California come from renewable resources in 2020. Resources that qualify as renewable include energy generated from solar, wind, small hydro and biomass facilities. Renewable requirements such as these are common throughout the country. In fact, the majority of states have enacted similar, although not as stringent, renewable portfolio standards (RPS). Congress has also attempted to follow suit by proposing several different versions of RPS legislation, but thus far has been unable to pass a national requirement. This new law will not result in a major shift in California\u27s energy requirements. Renewable requirements similar to the new RPS law are already being implemented in California. Rather, the passage of SB X1 2 is likely to result in a re-examination of current requirements and an evaluation of how to effectively procure renewable resources and integrate them into the grid