Analysis shows unparalleled job growth, tax benefits,
and investment potential of a comprehensive FIT achieving the 33% RPS

Berkeley – University of California, Berkeley announces today the results of a study examining the economic benefits of a comprehensive Feed-In Tariff (FIT). The analysis shows that enacting a robust FIT in California to achieve the state’s 33% Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) would create 3 times the number of jobs, over 2 billion in additional tax revenue, and stimulate tens of billions in new investment. Furthermore, the adoption of a comprehensive FIT will cost-effectively fulfill California’s 33%-by-2020 goal on schedule.

PG&E Takes Aim at Supply-Chain Emissions

 Shrinking your carbon footprint isn’t as simple as cutting your direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—whether from your car or your fireplace. It’s also a matter of watching what you buy, so you don’t embed hidden emissions in your purchases.

The same principle holds for companies. As the largest California utility, with a $4 billion annual purchasing budget, PG&E can have a big impact on GHG emissions through its procurement decisions. But making informed choices, in an economy that does not (yet) price carbon emissions, is no easy task.

The RAEL authors insist on the fact that indirect land use change GHG discharges are real, consequential, and important.

In the shadow of the Gulf oil spill, the U.S. Senate will soon debate energy and climate legislation that will seek to claim American leadership in the global clean energy race. The question at hand: How can we build the best policy and financing platform to deliver the right outcomes – from short-term job creation, carbon reduction, and clean energy megawatts on the grid to long-term economic competitiveness and energy security?   

On Tuesday, June 29 at 12:00 pm, the NDN Green Project will host a group of NDN fellows, partners, and experts in a real-time review of the status of the energy and climate debate and a discussion of the ideas that can help create a clean energy economy.

To attend this event at NDN or to watch via our live webcast, please RSVP.  The live webcast will begin promptly at 12:15 pm.

Panelists to include:

Key Recommendations

1)     Public charging stations

2)     Curbside charging station deployment for multi-unit dwellings

3)     Adaptation of urban planning codes

4)     Stakeholder education

5)     Public-private partnerships

6)     Establishment of a financing mechanism for private charging stations

7)     Streamlining the charging station installation process

In his Oval Office speech on the BP disaster Tuesday night, President Obama was expected to call for action on legislation to move the nation away from fossil fuel dependence. But how close are we to having viable, cleaner alternatives? In California, utilities are struggling to meet the state's goal that they provide one-third of their power from renewable resources by 2020. The panel took a look at the most promising developments in the world of alternative energy -- and at some of the obstacles to large-scale adoption.

New RAEL analysis of UC Berkeley's carbon footprint: 97% of emissions are indirect

RAEL, in collaboration with the UC Berkeley Office of Sustainabilty, has developed a new hybrid life cycle model to estimate of the carbon footprint of UC Berkeley. Total emissions are 424,000 metric tons for the year 2008.

Direct emissions (Scope 1) are only 3% of the University's total carbon footprint. Indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2) account for 37% of the total, with 60% from other indirect sources (Scope 3). The official UC Berkeley greenhouse gas inventory includes roughly 50% of the total carbon footprint.

Laura Schewel's team won the annual Big Ideas competition of CITRIS. Her Virtual Electric Vehicle Test Drive Project made the co-first place and received an $8,000 award.

Congratulations from RAEL!