Category Archives: Energy
The Water-Energy Nexus in California
The water-energy nexus has been in the news since the California Energy Commission’s landmark finding in 2005, that water related energy uses account for about 19% of all electricity use and 30% of non-power plant natural gas use in the … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy
Tagged Distribution, Energy Intensity, kWh/MG, Nexus, Supply and Conveyance, Treatment, Wastewater, Water, Water-Energy Nexus
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Residential Rates Revisited – Part 3: Legislative Fixes
In Part 1 of this series was a brief retrospective of some of the antecedents of today’s discussion of residential rates in California. In Part 2, we discussed in more detail the concept of inclining block rates, the policy rationale … Continue reading
Residential Rates Revisited – Part 2: Inclining Block Rates
Part 1 of this series provided a brief retrospective of some of the antecedents of today’s discussion of residential rates in California. We discussed AB 1x and its role in capping rates for consumption below 130% of baseline, we defined … Continue reading
Residential Electric Rates Revisited – Part 1: A Historical Perspective
Residential rates always seem to be in the news for one reason or another. These days, residential rates are the subject of pending legislation (AB 327) and an ongoing rulemaking at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) (R.12-06-013). To help … Continue reading
Induced Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) – Background and Pending Legislation
This post provides a general background on fracking technology, the related environmental and safety concerns, and pending legislation. In an upcoming post, we’ll address the issues surrounding the vast Monterey shale deposit in California. Induced hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is … Continue reading
How many pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) does a gallon of gas produce?
Before answering this question it helps to first know how much a gallon of gasoline weighs. Gasoline has a weight of just over 6 pounds per US gallon. A natural guess could then be that about 6 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas, Transportation
Tagged Carbon, Carbon Dioxide, CO2, CO2e, Gas, Gasoline, Transportation
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The Real Price of Gasoline
The price of gasoline varies over time and by region, and in many ways affects the lives of the majority of the global population. This post looks at what makes up the price of a gallon of gas and highlights … Continue reading
The MPG Illusion
Assume that you have two cars; an SUV and a compact car. Both cars are aging but you can only afford to replace one. Assume further, that like many families, you still require at least one car with a carrying … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas, Renewable Energy, Transportation
Tagged Energy, Gallon, Gas, Greenhouse Gas, Hybrid, MPG
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New CAFE standards: 54.5 MPG in 2025
The Obama Administration recently approved new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for 2017 – 2025. The new standards are an extension of the 2012 – 2016 CAFE standards. The announcement of 54.5 MPG by 2025 certainly raised some eyebrows. Let’s take a look at what the new … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Greenhouse Gas, Renewable Energy, Transportation
Tagged 54.5, CAFE, fuel, MPG
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Load Factor
Load factor is the ratio of average demand to peak demand, typically measured in megawatts (MW) on a system wide level. It is a useful metric to show how much of the entire electric delivery system capacity is being used … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Energy Efficiency, Legislation
Tagged Demand, Electricity, Load, Load Factor, Peak, SDG&E
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The EPIC Energy Blog 