California, with rising temperatures (I discussed yesterday) and dryer weather, is expecting a grim fire season this year. 

Because of systematic under-investment in maintaining our electrical distribution over the decades, one part of the utility response has become Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS events). 

Many people commented on the CAP that they were afraid of going all-electric because of these events. One person told us we needed to work on reducing the PSPS events. 

These are all very important concerns. 

The first thing to say is that the state is well aware of this PSPS problem, and they are working and investing in solving it. For example, the state has created incentives to encourage people to invest in on-site self generation (batteries!) (I will talk another day  about how to access these incentives). Utility companies across the country are racing to install utility-scale batteries to help prevent PSPS events in different ways (HERE). In the state of California, we are investing heavily in these batteries (HERE). Indeed, we are installing more batteries in California than the entire country of China  (HERE). Our California Public Utilities Commission (which regulates the investor-owned utility companies including PG&E) is working with the utilities to accelerate all kinds of investments necessary to improve the reliability of power during all times (HERE). The Federal Government is considering further incentives for batteries (HERE). These and other Federal incentives are highly targeted at improving power system reliability. (HERE). 

And, finally, there are increasing numbers of renewable energy "Generators" for backup power (HERE). Indeed, we are considering ways right now to help people in Fairfax buy these to help you get through any PSPS events we may face in the short run. 

As I noted yesterday, the evolution of our power system to the carbon-free one we need is not going to be without hiccups. Before the last few years, I don't think anybody anticipated this new PSPS challenge. And, no doubt, there will be others we don't anticipate today. But, as I suggested yesterday, the dangers of moving too slow are much worse than the dangers of moving too fast. And so, we must act. 

Our current Federal Government, our State government, our utilities, our Town, are all doing their very best to work quickly to reduce the frequency and duration of these PSPS events, and to help us get through them when they do occur.

Each of us must do what we can in the short run, and things should get better over time. Unlike the Texans who refused to invest in weatherizing their electrical system, we are actively working to improve ours. Let's know that, and let's lead the way into the future this planet needs. 

We are Fairfax; we do not bury our heads in the sand.  

Laura Faye, Executive Director of Sustainable Fairfax, and Walt Vernon, Chair of the Climate Action Committee will host a table at the Fairfax Farmer's Market TONIGHT (May 5). 

Come learn about ways you can contribute to saving the planet. 

(Drinks not included). 

​See you there!

You may have recently read that the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration YESTERDAY issued new temperature averages for the United States because the Climate has changed (HERE). That is, what is "Normal" is now hotter than it was two days ago. 

Let that sink in. 

A couple of people commented that we should not be trying to get the whole town to All-Electric by 2030, because it will be hard and expensive. 

Yes, we know it will be hard and expensive; we know it will be hardest for those with the fewest resources, and we are sensitive to all of this.

We also know that the increasing pace of change means that things do not all happen perfectly - as a result of our growth in solar generation, you may know, we now generate too much solar electricity at some times, so that we have to get rid of it; maybe we are going too fast?

But here is the reality. 

Scientists say that we must have an additional drop in emissions every two years equivalent to what happened during the Covid Crisis if we are going to be able to avoid the worst impacts of the changing climate (HERE). And, I listened the other day to a podcast that discussed the pace problem, and quoted some of the folks at the California Energy Commission who are trying to drive the needed change, and in a way that minimizes impacts to all of us. This person noted that the dangers of moving too slow are far worse than the dangers of moving too fast (HERE). 

The Town of Fairfax has correctly noted the urgency of our situation, and has asked us to figure out how we can get to zero emissions by 2030. The only way to get to zero emissions by 2030 is to somehow switch everyone to renewable electricity, and away from methane. 

It will be hard, but I think we can do it. One of the main things we will do as a Climate Action Committee is to find, and, where possible, develop as many funding sources to help us all get this done. One of the things we will do over the next decade is to work with the Council to figure out ways to help people make change. Believe me, we do not want to hurt people; we want to figure out how to help us all. Having said that, each of us must also take responsibility to do what we can. Some of us have resources, and we can find ways to help ourselves in the long run, as well as working on this problem, and those of us so fortunate should - as President Biden called us to do - do what we can do. 

So, we appreciate those who have asked us to NOT try to get to zero emissions from all buildings. But, for us to do what needs to be done, we must try. What I can pledge to you is that your volunteer neighbors on the Climate Action Committee, and your volunteer neighbors on the Town Council (I do not speak for them, by the way, but I do know them) are committed to helping the people of this Town in ways that are as painless and equitable as we possibly can. 

In turn, we ask each of you to do what you can do, and to support us in this work. 

We need more help on the CAC; join us, if you can. 

It will be hard, but we can do it. We are, and we will continue to be, Rebels with a Cause.

Whenever the issue of electrifying buildings comes up, people always ask about electric stoves. So many of us remember the old electric stoves which were terrible. 

So few of us have experienced the new induction electric stoves, which are terrific. 

So, three new things. 

First, our neighbors across the street have a new induction stove. We are thinking that, if a group of people were interested, we could convene and kind of learn about these things, how they work, why they are good, etc. 

Second, I've decided to buy one of these things. The truth is, I haven't used one before, either, so I am as ignorant as the next person. (probably more ignorant, actually). So, if somebody out there knows their way around an induction stove, I hope you will volunteer to come and teach us its wonders (our friends spend the summers in Vermont, so they are not here to teach us, but they have said we could use it). 

Finally, I came across an article in the Wall Street Journal (HERE) talking about how wonderful these new stoves are. Now, I don't know about you, but I do not think of the WSJ as the most forward-thinking of journalism. So, if they think it's a good thing, that really says something, in my humble opinion. 

I am going to take advantage of the available incentives and rebates to buy this stove. Marin County is going to give us $500 to buy the new stove (info HERE), which is about half of the cost of it. And, its such a small load.

From what I have read, the maximum load is about 3kw, or about one 30-amp load (HERE). That is starting to push the limits of my little 60-amp electrical service (this is an old house with a very old electrical service), but it won't require a service upgrade. Depending on your situation, you can probably buy a reasonably sized induction oven without a service upgrade, but you will need to have someone tell you, most likely (I am an electrical engineer, and if there are not too many requests, I might be able to help here and there). 

So, let me know if you want an induction stove demo; more important, let me know if you want to LEAD an induction stove demo. 

More important, keep looking for ways to move away from the energy opiod that is methane. 

And, please join us on the Climate Action Committee; we really need great people. 

Thank you for being Fairfaxians. 

A second comment asks that we not adopt an all-electric ordinance for new construction. 

It is vitally important, actually, that we DO adopt such an ordinance. 

First, the good thing about a new construction ordinance is that it will not affect anybody or any buildings already in the Town; it will only affect NEW construction - buildings that are not yet here. 

Second, an all-electric building is less expensive to build and to operate than a mixed-fuel building that also uses methane. 

Third, the State and, now, the Federal governments are moving rapidly in the direction of electrification of buildings. We want to help our residents to invest in buildings that will stand the test of time, and people who invest in additional natural gas infrastructure will find it sooner or later obsolete; by preparing now, we can save them money in the long run too. 

When we talk about all-electric buildings, people all worry about electric heat, stoves, and PSPS events. 

Electric heat got a bad name from old electric resistance heating systems. New heat pumps work fine in this climate, and are less expensive to buy and operate than conventional systems. 

Induction stoves are vastly preferred by everyone who uses them, including the world's chefs. They are a vast improvement over the older electric stoves that we all came to despise. 

And, the state and utilities are investing tremendous money into grid reliability. The state is well aware of the impact of PSPS events, and they are pouring money into storage and other strategies to help us improve the reliability of the grid. 

Nobody is hurt, and everyone wins from requiring all new construction to be all-electric. This is one thing we should all be able to get behind. 

First, I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read our draft Climate Action Plan. I want to give a special thanks to all of you who have sent us comments. 

And I will address the comments on this blog as best we can. Today, I want to take on one of the most difficult. 

Let me start by clarifying a couple of things -- the strategies in the CAP are high level and do not include the details of the implementation. As stated in the early part of the CAP, we intend to implement the policies over time in ways that are fair, equitable and as painless as possible, But, at the end of the day, we must work together to reduce our carbon footprint.

Our biggest challenge in getting to zero is our transportation emissions. One of many suggested strategies in the CAP is a proposed fee for owning cars that use fossil fuels. 

Here’s the thinking. (1) The primary objective is come up with every possible way to help incentivize the needed transition away from fossil-fuel vehicles to zero-emission vehicles.   2) the fees generated would create a fund for incentives to help subsidize the transition. 3) We could design a strategy to exempt lower income people.  

It's also true that technology is on our side. The prices for electric and hydrogen cars are coming down every year. Already, it is less expensive to buy and operate an electric car than to buy and operate a gas car. That trend will only accelerate in the future, and we are counting on that to help us all. Maybe, over the next ten years, we will have all moved to zero-emission vehicles voluntarily, and we won't need to do anything. 

The Town of Fairfax has set a goal to get to zero emissions by 2030. The only way we will do it is every one of us gets rid of our gasoline cars over the next ten years. Actually, when you think about it, it is likely that all of the cars we have today will be replaced over the next ten years. If that is true, and if the various governments continue to offer incentives for moving to zero emission vehicles, and if the prices of them keep coming down, maybe we can all just decide that we will never again buy a gasoline car, and, together, we can get this done. 

On the Climate Action Committee, we see it as our job to figure out what it will take to get us to zero. Getting us to zero means no gas cars at 2030. We also see it as our job to help people find good ways to get there, and we will do everything we can to make the latter possible. 

​This week, President Biden gave his first address to the Nation as President. In it, he quoted Franklin Roosevelt to the effect that each of us must do our part; none of us can assume that others will do the needed work. Indeed. 
 
We have ten years, we have technology, we have a commitment to each other. Let’s find within ourselves the determination to figure out, and to do what needs to be done. 

Thank you, and please join us. We need new members, new ideas; we need you.