News and Insights

Follow our News and Insights page for relevant industry updates including what's happening in sustainable utility technology and practical advice for California public agencies manging the transition to sustainable technology.

Gov. Newsom issues Emergency Proclamation re Energy

On Jul 30, 2020, Governor Newsome issued a Proclamation of a State of Emergency. According to the Proclamation, “California currently faces an additional projected energy supply shortage of up to 3,500 megawatts during the afternoon-evening ‘net-peak’ period of high power demand on days when there...
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How to Protect your Organization from Ransomware Attacks

According to a recent CalMatters article, “Nearly 1,700 schools across the country were affected by ransomware attacks last year, according to New Zealand-based software company Emsisoft. In California, at least 26 schools have experienced a ransomware attack since 2019, often with harsh consequences: Sierra College...
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Gov. Newsom Suspends Enviro Regs on Power Generation During Grid Strain Events

Twice so far in 2021, Governor Newsom has suspended *all* environmental regulations on CA electricity generators for at least three days at a time. On each of June 17 and July 9, the Governor issued State of Emergency proclamations covering separate “Extreme Heat Events” lasting...
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Under Attack: California Schools Face Ransomware Threat

According to this article, “Experts interviewed by CalMatters – including researchers, cybersecurity companies, IT employees and the FBI – all agree the number of cyberattacks has increased over the pandemic. Many believe the number of attacks on the education sector has also increased, but it’s...
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2021 SPURR Annual Member Meeting Presentation

The slide presentation from the recent 2021 SPURR Joint Powers Authority Annual Member Meeting Presentation is linked below: SPURR Annual Member Meeting Presentation Agenda items include reports and discussion regarding SPURR’s programs and other topics: Solar Power and Energy Storage LED Lighting and Energy Conservation...
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CA Faces Energy Resources Shortfall

California faces energy resource shortfalls amid extreme heat and drought. On June 27, 2021, the CA grid operator warned that rising temperatures and drought conditions mean there could be resource shortfalls early in the week. “Electricity consumers should be prepared to reduce their consumption,” the...
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Why are Solar PPA Prices Creeping Upward?

Why are solar PPA prices creeping upward? It’s complicated, experts say. Prices for solar PPAs in North America rose 2.6% during the first quarter of 2021 compared to the prior quarter, according to data from LevelTen Energy’s PPA marketplace. But the rise wasn’t part of...
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Who Will Pay for Legacy Natural Gas Utility Costs?

UC Berkeley economics and energy researchers studied the growing “electrify everything” movement, which aims to transition utility customers from natural gas toward electricity. As regulated monopolies, natural gas utility distribution companies recover fixed costs by spreading fees across their customer base. Researchers found that utilities...
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