Bay Area Climate Collaborative Blog

El Cerrito Climate Action Plan draft for review

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:56:55 GMT

The City hosted public hearings in April on their draft Climate Action Plan. The City of El Cerrito adopted targets to reduce GHG emissions by 15% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 30% below 2005 levels by 2035. View the Draft Final Plan. Also, the City’s new Recycling Center has been granted a coveted LEED Platinum rating, the highest grade for green building! View the Full Article.

Sonoma County Kickstarts Public Power Agency.

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:53:47 GMT

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to implement a public power program for all homes and businesses outside city limits with plans to expand countywide. Unless customers formally opt out, they would receive power from the public agency. PG&E would continue to handle other infrastructure. Business leaders said it would encourage them to invest in renewable energy projects and to sell their excess power back to the grid. View the Full Article. In June 2012, Richmond joined the Marin Energy Authority to participate in the Marin Clean Energy CCA program.

San Francisco Doubles Funding for GoSolarSF Program

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:55:11 GMT

Mayor Ed Lee has announced that funding for the City’s successful solar initiative, GoSolarSF, will double in the next fiscal year. Beginning July 1, San Francisco residents and businesses can access an additional $2 million in incentives to install solar on their properties.

San Francisco solar map

Bike Sharing to Debut in the Bay Area

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:40:20 GMT

Beginning in August, a pilot bicycle-share program will launch along the Bay Area Peninsula commute corridor in the cities of San Jose, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City and San Francisco.

In the first phase of the pilot, 700 bicycles will be available at 70 bicycle stations near transit hubs, high-density residential areas and key destination points such as shopping districts and employment centers. Unlike individual bike ownership or traditional rentals, public bike sharing offers users 24/7 access to bicycles for short trips without the worry of maintenance, theft or storage.

View full article

Redwood City Safe Routes to School Reduces GHG Emissions.

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:18:50 GMT

Climate Corps Bay Area reports that over 7,000 students participated in the San Mateo County Safe Routes to School program in the Redwood City School District. Roy Cloud School organized a 10,000-step challenge where students are given pedometers and during a weekend try to reach 10,000 steps. The challenge brought 230 students to participate during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, and they registered over 7,000,000 steps, equating to over 700 miles travelled. View the latest San Mateo County newsletter.

Livermore Going Green with Energy-Saving Projects.

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:05:51 GMT

The city is embarking on a program to install solar panels at municipal buildings and convert existing streetlights to Light-Emitting Diode technology, as part of an energy-efficiency program officials say will save taxpayers more than $10 million over the next 25 years. Click for Full Article.

Alameda County Offering Free EV Charging to Residents

bacc@svlg.org (BACC Editor) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:45:11 GMT

Electric vehicle drivers in Oakland, Hayward, Alameda, and San Leandro are now able to charge their cars for free, through the end of 2014. As part of a region-wide, ongoing climate action plan, these cities are participating in a pilot program aimed at stimulating the EV market in Alameda County. In total, 40 free charging stations are now accessible in county-owned parking garages, lots, and buildings. In December 2014, the county's Board of Supervisors will decide whether or not the charging stations will remain free.

View the Full Article

Sonoma County Water Recognized by EPA

bacc@svlg.org (BACC Editor) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:07:51 GMT

The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) was recognized with the 2013 Climate Leadership Award Winners by the US EPA. SCWA committed in 2006 to operating a carbon-free water system by 2015. The agency’s efforts to achieve this goal include leading a county-wide local government electric vehicle effort, initiating Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program financing for clean energy projects, and developing a Community Choice Aggregation program to facilitate distribution and development of renewable energy county-wide. The water agency also leads the Sonoma County Efficiency Financing Program to aggregate and fund energy and water efficiency upgrades at schools and public buildings county-wide. Nationally, the agency initiated, helped establish, and supports Applied Solutions, a non-profit network of counties and cities that identify and share innovative clean energy projects, programs, and financial mechanisms.

EPA Announcement

Joint Venture to Host 4th Annual "Energy Storage Symposium"

bacc@svlg.org (BACC Editor) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:13:03 GMT

Mark your calenders -- Joint Venture will be hosting its 4th annual Energy Storage Symposium on Thursday, April 11 at Microsoft Auditorium in Mountain View. Come listen to US Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Patricia Hoffman and California State Assemblymember Nancy Skinner, as well as an energy storage policy briefing and updates on a variety of local energy storage initiatives.

Fremont Approves New Sustainability Commission

rreyes@baclimate.org (Rafael Reyes) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:25:52 GMT

Fremont City Council voted to approve formation of an Environmental Sustainability Commission, a new seven-member panel to oversee implementation of the city's recently approved Climate Action Plan. The Climate Action Plan aims at helping the city reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.

View the Full Article.