The increasing prevalence of wildfires (often sparked by utility wires) and other extreme weather events highlights the urgent need for DERs and local microgrid systems to provide true resiliency against climate-induced disruption and state authorized Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) that would preemptively deenergize transmission lines. Unfortunately, there are many hurdles to be cleared before […]
energy
WATCH: Video of Global Citizens Club November 2019 Event “Designing Dreams from Derricks”
On November 6th, 2019 we concluded the Global Citizens Club 2019 conference series on “Greening our Infrastructure.” With the company of over 100 Santa Barbara community members and four key panelists, “Designing Dreams from Derricks” focused on the new discussion of the decommissioning of oil platforms off the coast of Santa Barbara. Panel Moderated by: Rinaldo […]
Global Citizens Club Meeting: Designing Dreams from Derricks
On November 6th, 2019, we concluded the Global Citizens Club 2019 conference series on “Greening our Infrastructure.” With the company of over 100 Santa Barbara community members and four key panelists, “Designing Dreams from Derricks” focused on the new discussion of the decommissioning of oil platforms off the coast of Santa Barbara. With a controversial […]
PSPS Outages Expected in Santa Barbara This Week (including Montecito)
Southern California Edison (SCE) has recently announced that a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is possible for some Santa Barbara County areas starting Friday, due to high wind conditions. The length of the outages is currently unknown and depends on weather conditions. Santa Barbara county urges residents, for all PSPS events, to be prepared for […]
Rinaldo S. Brutoco to Appear on ‘Coast to Coast’ Radio Show Thursday night (Oct. 3)
SANTA BARBARA, California – Rinaldo S. Brutoco, noted Santa Barbara business leader, co-author of Freedom from Mid-East Oil, and futurist, will discuss the evolving crisis in the Middle East and its implications for the U.S. economy and the global environment and clean-energy options when he appears this week for a two-hour segment on the popular […]
Resiliency Through Repurposing
By Robert Perry, Director of Research In facing our climate crisis, a lot of emphasis is placed on adding to, or replacing infrastructure. While this impulse is a logical reaction in the transition to clean energy, a strategy to repurpose existing facilities should always be considered first as a means to accelerate the transition, while […]
The Resource Adequacy Hurdle to 100% Renewable Energy
By Robert Perry, Director of Research Over the years, I’ve written about Santa Barbara County’s energy resiliency issues, particularly for communities along the coastline in the Southern California Edison (SCE) service territory. I’ve also decried SCE’s antiquated Request for Offer (RFO) process that no longer works in a time when energy procurement means building hundreds […]
Stop the PG&E Bailout Bonds
Call to Action! Dear Academy Supporters, The World Business Academy strongly opposed AB 1054, the utility bailout rushed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which strengthens the state’s monopoly on utilities at the expense of all California ratepayers, Community Choice programs, and democratic due process. Now there is a proposed extension to pay for PG&E’s […]
Business as a Global Change Agent: Ceres/Academy Collaborative
Since 1987, the World Business Academy has focused on the role business can and should play in solving humanity’s largest challenges. Our focus on climate change and energy security results from an analysis of the most important threats to human survival and thus the survival of business. Given this prime directive, it logically follows that […]
Advanced Community Energy (ACE): A Winning Hand for Local Energy Development
Following closure of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) in 2013, the Academy’s energy advocacy efforts in various hearings and lawsuits initially focused on preventing the industry’s rush to build massive natural gas “peaker plants” which the Academy helped defeat in both Oxnard and Goleta. During that time, the Academy Research Director Robert Perry […]
Rebuild with Resilience: Montecito Community Microgrid Initiative
In partnership with the Clean Coalition, the World Business Academy has engaged the Montecito community towards the development of a Community Microgrid, starting with independent microgrids at three critical community facilities: Montecito Fire Protection District (FD) headquarters and primary fire station, which maintains and deploys the majority of Montecito’s fire-fighting resources. Montecito Water District (WD) headquarters and […]
Santa Barbara County Votes to Join Central Coast CCA: Now What?
By Robert Perry, Director of Research On June 16th, the County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to participate in the Monterey Bay Community Power Authority (MBCPA), Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program. Following years of deliberation and analysis concerning the feasibility of forming its own CCA, the vote could lead to the inclusion of Santa […]
