Category: Energy

-October 8,2022-

AAA says pump prices on the West Coast have increased due to ongoing refinery maintenance at roughly six refineries, severely limiting the region’s supply. However, refinery restarts and California officials “allowing less expensive winter-blend gasoline to be sold a month ahead of schedule should offer drivers relief at the pump in the coming days.”News reports say gasoline prices in California could fall 50 to 90 cents a gallon very soon. That’s the view of experts such as Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, which tracks prices. Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at University of California, Berkeley, predicts a plunge of at least 50 cents a gallon “within the next week.”

-July 29,2022-

NOAA’s California/Nevada River Forecast Center expects the Southern Sierra between Fresno and Bakersfield to enjoy over an inch of precip in the next 6 days (see map).The storms are part of a spillover of the vigorous monsoon storms hitting Arizona.Nevada and Colorado this summer.A monsoon storm dumped heavy rain across the Las Vegas Valley on Thursday night, triggering flash flooding along the Las Vegas Strip and several famous casinos.

Flood Watch?

NWS says the major forecast concern is a large amount of monsoonal moisture poised to move into Central California Sunday. Strong thunderstorms are possible Sunday in most of Kern County. Farther northward in the San Joaquin Valley, strong thunderstorms are possible as far west as Visalia Sunday. Intense rainfall rates in the Sierra Nevada and Kern County mountains could result in localized flooding Sunday. A Flood Watch may be required for the Sierra Nevada and Kern County mountains Sunday.

MeanwhileNOAA is projecting that the US West is going to get wet in the next two weeks, a  welcome development.

-July 29,2022-

Can electric ‘tuk tuks’ save the planet?

While most of us think Tesla passenger cars when it comes to EV (electric vehicle) sales, worldwide the biggest sales category by far, is coming from small two and three wheel EVs. According to Bloomberg the fleet of electric 2 and 3 wheelers totals 275 million using 2021 numbers while the fleet of electric passenger cars is a fraction of that – 17 million. Asian countries lead to way in unhooking those polluting petroleum based motorcycles and 3 wheel ‘Tuk-Tuks ‘ in favor of new electric versions.

In the US, California leads the way on conversion to hybrid and electric cars with  figures for this year showing over 28% of the vehicles sold in the state were in this category.

Across the US, we saw 630,000 plug-in battery and hybrid electric cars sold in 2021 – twice as many as the year before. But that pales to Europe where 2.3 million EVs were sold.

Resistance int the past has come from American drivers’ preference for large pickup trucks and SUVs. But now with sky high gas prices and a new fleet of EV pick ups like the Ford and Rivian brands just now entering this space in greater numbers.

New cargo vans and farm tractors, electric buses are also starting to make a dent.

But its those iconic people and cargo carrier around the world -tuk tuks seen in crowed cities of Asia and the Middle East the are in the spotlight .Bloomberg says almost 40% of India’s huge three-wheeler fleet is already electric. China now has 685,000 electric buses on the road and 195 million electric two-wheelers.

The contribution of these millions of small footprint vehicles are both clearing the air in the most polluted cities of the world and reducing world oil consumption with over 1 million barrels of oil displaced by these electric vehicles.Electric passenger cars are a  small slice of that but growing fast.
Reduced demand due to a combination of high gas prices, electric vehicle sales and improved gas milage of petroleum based cars is driving down demand for oil helping to cut carbon emissions. Ironically, today’s  high price for oil is now leading to lower gas prices as slow “demand collapse” is underway

-July 27,2022-

What would be by far the world’s largest energy storage project is being planned in western Fresno County next to the important Gates substation.Florida-based Key Energy Storage, LLC is proposing to construct and operate the Key Energy Storage Project on approximately 318-acres of private ag land in western Fresno County.

The site is located 4 miles southwest of the City of Huron, 0.4 mile east of Interstate 5 (I-5), immediately south of W. Jayne Avenue, between I-5 and South Lassen Avenue (State Route 269), and adjacent to PG&E’s existing Gates Substation.

According to their application with the county, a Notice of Preparation(NOP), the energy storage facility would consist of lithium-ion batteries with the potential to store approximately three (3) gigawatts of energy-3000 megawatts. That is more than enough battery storage to hold all Diablo Canyon nuclear plant can generate and 7X larger than the Moss Landing Battery Storage, currently the world’s largest.

‘this one proposed Fresno County project matches all the energy storage in California currently!’

At a recent celebration of the Moss Landing project, Elliot Mainzer, president and CEO of the California Independent System Operator called the influx of battery storage capacity on the grid over the past year “an incredible growth curve, an incredible success story,” adding that “We’ve entered a golden age of energy storage here in California.” The ISO now has more than 3,160 MW of battery storage connected to the grid and is expected to add another 700 MW by the end of June.

So this one proposed Fresno County project matches all the energy storage in California currently!

The Key Energy project is being designed to hold solar power energy generated in daytime for hours after the sun goes down. The energy storage project is being sited in the solar panel laden Westlands Water District not far from the 20,000-acre Westlands Solar Park.Solar facilities are located to the north and southwest of it.

The project would also include a 500-kilovolt (kV) overhead generation tie line, which would extend north to the adjacent Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Gates Substation.This line would be installed on new steel or concrete poles, each up to 150 feet tall and spaced at approximately 500-foot intervals.

Buildout of the Project would occur in phases, with Phase I expected to come online in 2025, and Phase 2 expected to come online by 2026. After that, Phases 3 and 4 are expected to come online between 1 to 3 years after the previous phase, based on the region’s increasing demand for energy storage.

The Project would include development of an energy storage system facility and associated on-site support facilities including a substation, inverters, collector lines, fencing, access roads, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, and other ancillary facilities or equipment.

The lithium-ion battery storage system would consist of battery cells assembled in a series of modules connected together like a giant Lego puzzle (see pic).

Cap

renewable projects pair solar with batteries

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-June 24,2022-

Renewable fuels are becoming a larger part of California’s transportation fuels market, as shown by recent announcements to invest in renewable fuel production made by several California petroleum refineries. This shift to renewable fuels is being driven by government incentives. According to the EIA, renewable diesel production capacity could represent 20 percent of total diesel production on the West Coast by 2024.

The transition is painful however with California diesel fuel prices near $7 a  gallon now – an all time high.Just in recent days prices are heading down. But more production – particularly renewable diesel – is expected soon, says the California Energy Commission.

Renewable fuels are different than fossil fuels in that they are made from renewable resources. Most renewable fuels are produced through a combination of raw materials feedstocks. Examples of renewable fuels that support internal combustion engines include ethanol, biomethane, biodiesel, and renewable diesel.

But only renewable diesel is chemically equivalent to petroleum diesel and can be used in any concentration in a diesel engine. Biodiesel can only be mixed up to 10 percent with petroleum diesel because in higher concentrations it can cause problems in engines and may void vehicle warranties. According to Neste, the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel, benefits of renewable diesel include that it withstands cold and storage much better than biodiesel, is higher quality for the engine, and provides the greatest reduction in air emissions.

While there is growth occurring in the biodiesel market, renewable diesel is one of the fastest growing low-carbon fuels in California’s transportation fuels market.

Consumption of renewable diesel reached record levels of more than 937 million gallons consumed in 2021, representing 25 percent of total diesel consumption in California, some of it imported. California uses about 3.7 billion gallons of all kinds of diesel annually.

California Diesel Consumption shows consumption by type in California.Blue is renewable diesel

Now there are four refineries in California that are transitioning to renewable fuels.By 2024 the volume  of renewable diesel should reach over 2 billion gallons. So by then there should be 6.6 billion gallons produced of all types of diesel-almost double  what California consumes.

Adding that new supply  should help bring down average diesel prices and therefor shipping costs for everything brought be truck to your town as well as farm use.

The  Energy Commission expects more conversion of trucks away from diesel as well, including electric and hydrogen power trucks increasing “demand destruction “for diesel -one of the worst polluting fuels helping to choke the air with particulates.

-June 6,2022-

Pom adopts solar power plus recycled plastic bottles 

POM Wonderful, the largest grower and producer of fresh pomegranates and pomegranate juice in the U.S., has announced it is furthering its commitment to a sustainable future with the transition to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) bottles and shifting more than 90% of its electricity needs to renewable energy at its Del Rey plant.

Throughout North America, starting in May 2022, all 16 oz. bottles of POM Wonderful juices will be bottled in 100% rPET. The new bottles will feature a “100% Recycled Plastic” logo. This commitment is just the beginning of the company’s overall strategy to reduce single-use plastic and transitions more than 11 million bottles to 100% rPET annually as the brand approaches its 20th anniversary this fall.

Microgrid project in Porterville

SCE wants to build a  Porterville Battery Energy Storage System accord to a city agenda item. A developer is partnering with Southern California Edison to develop microgrid energy storage system on City-owned property approximately 700 ft west of North Prospect and W. Grand Ave.SCE is developing these energy storage projects around California including in Springville.

US Rockies will bake says NOAA

NOAA is predicting  a scorching summer these next three months particularly  in the Rocky Mountain region  of Utah,Colorado and New Mexico.

-June 4,2022-

The Luciana solar project, a 73-MW solar project in Tulare County, California, has achieved commercial operation and is expected to generate clean and affordable power equivalent to the needs of over 20,000 California homes.

The project, located in Ducor, California, provided jobs for over 200 workers during construction, mainly sourced from local union halls in surrounding areas. The Luciana project also provides ongoing economic development in the form of fees and tax revenues to Tulare County.

“Considering the unprecedented supply chain challenges the industry faced this past year, we are proud to have successfully achieved commercial operation of the Luciana project through our partnership with East Bay Clean Energy (EBCE),” said Cary Vandenberg, CEO of Idemitsu Renewables. “By leveraging our financial strength and development expertise, we’re helping California meet its aggressive clean energy goals while also providing significant investment in Tulare County.”

The renewable power generated by the Luciana project will be sold through a 15-year power purchase agreement with EBCE, which serves Alameda County and neighboring cities.

“The Luciana project brings more low-cost renewable energy to EBCE’s portfolio, and it’s another big step forward on EBCE’s path to 100% clean energy for all of our customers by 2030,” said Nick Chaset, EBCE’s CEO.

U.S. Energy Information Administration,

-June 1,2022-

As part of a supplement to our Short-Term Energy Outlook, we analyzed how drought conditions could affect hydroelectric generation in California this summer. California hydroelectric generation would be 48% less this summer in an alternative case that assumes drought conditions compared with a case that assumes relatively normal water conditions. This shortfall would need to be made up from other sources of electric power supply.
During the 2022 water year, which began October 1, 2021, snowpack reached above-normal levels in December, but dry conditions then persisted through March. As of April 1, which typically marks the peak of snowpack, California’s snowpack had an equivalent water content of 6.9 inches, which is about 40% below the median value from 1991 through 2020. Less snowpack means that, as temperatures warm in the spring, less snow will melt and flow into California’s reservoirs.

We used reservoir storage data from the California Department of Water Resources and inflow forecasts from the California-Nevada River Forecasting Center to develop hydroelectric generation forecasts for six major California hydropower plants: Trinity, Shasta, Edward C. Hyatt, Colgate, Folsom, and New Melones. These six plants collectively accounted for 22% of California’s hydroelectric generation in the previous five years (2017–21). We then used the modeled generation from these plants to estimate California’s overall hydroelectric generation under the two alternative cases.
We expect California’s hydro share of the generation mix for June through September 2022 in the drought scenario would be 8% of California’s total electricity generation, compared with 15% under normal water conditions. In drought conditions, we expect California would import more electricity from other markets and use more in-state natural gas-fired generation. As a result of more natural gas use in the drought case, we expect wholesale electricity prices in western U.S. electricity markets would be 5% higher and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in California would be 6% higher than the case with normal water supply conditions.

-May 19,2022-

JANET WILSON   | Palm Springs Desert Sun

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to add up to $400 million to the 2022-23 budget to accelerate development of a potential huge global supply of lithium and clean energy at the south end of the Salton Sea, and developers there could have access to $1 billion more in “green energy” tax credits in coming years.

The multi-pronged package would fund a new Brawley college campus, aid county and private planning with grants and tax incentives, construct large new transmission lines from the Salton Sea area across the Imperial and Coachella valleys, and could create a permanent lithium production fee, with most going to local coffers. It also includes proposals to streamline geothermal permitting in “Lithium Valley,” a major development zone in Imperial County.

“Lithium Valley represents an extraordinary economic opportunity for the Imperial Valley and all of California, with the potential to power the transition to clean energy and zero-emission vehicles nationwide — and beyond,” Newsom said. “We’re doubling down on our progress with new investments to develop Lithium Valley while keeping our values of inclusive, green growth and sustainability front and center to ensure communities in the region share in the benefits.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to add up to $400 million to the 2022-23 budget to accelerate development of a potential huge global supply of lithium and clean energy at the south end of the Salton Sea, and developers there could have access to $1 billion more in “green energy” tax credits in coming years.

The multi-pronged package would fund a new Brawley college campus, aid county and private planning with grants and tax incentives, construct large new transmission lines from the Salton Sea area across the Imperial and Coachella valleys, and could create a permanent lithium production fee, with most going to local coffers. It also includes proposals to streamline geothermal permitting in “Lithium Valley,” a major development zone in Imperial County.

“Lithium Valley represents an extraordinary economic opportunity for the Imperial Valley and all of California, with the potential to power the transition to clean energy and zero-emission vehicles nationwide — and beyond,” Newsom said. “We’re doubling down on our progress with new investments to develop Lithium Valley while keeping our values of inclusive, green growth and sustainability front and center to ensure communities in the region share in the benefits.”

A new white paper on climate change penned  by So Cal Edison paints a grim picture for the future of the  Golden State.  Here are the bullet points:

• Extreme Heat – 7X more likely, on average, for SCE service area to experience temperatures as hot as or hotter than the historical 99th percentile temperature. Extreme temperature events such as heat waves are projected to become more frequent, more prolonged and more intense – particularly in inland regions where the population is growing.

• Precipitation – 40% projected decline in snowpack and more variable year-to-year precipitation with more intense drought and fewer, more intense precipitation events.

• Wildfire — 23% more land projected to burn during summer fuel-driven wildfires and wildfire season is expected to become longer. Fire exposure is projected to increase in and around high fire risk areas (HFRAs).

Adapting for Tomorrow: Powering a Resilient Future shares important findings from SCE’s Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment (CAVA) on assets, operations and services throughout its 50,000-square-mile service area. The CAVA concludes that by 2050, wildfires could leave large swaths of customers without necessary services for long periods of time, rising sea levels could inundate electrical facilities and extreme temperatures could reduce electrical capacity. Energy companies will need to modernize planning for the grid now to continue to safely provide reliable, clean and affordable energy to customers.

“There are many ways we must act with more urgency to incorporate projected climate conditions into our electric system planning to ensure a resilient decarbonized grid,” said Erica Bowman, director of the Edison International CEO’s Office and principal author of Adapting for Tomorrow and last year’s Edison policy paper, Mind the Gap. “Just one example among many, is planning for increased extreme temperatures and heat waves. During these events, electric loads will increase due to customer cooling needs and transmission line capacity may need to be derated 10%-20% due to operating limits. We need to anticipate these types of compounding impacts and design our system accordingly.”