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California is expected to avoid rolling blackouts this summer due to the addition of new solar plants and large batteries to the state's grid. Over the past four years, California has added 18.5 gigawatts of new resources, including 6.6 gigawatts of batteries, 6.3 gigawatts of solar power, and 1.4 gigawatts of solar and storage combined. These resources, along with reliable hydropower plants, will provide ample electricity even in the event of another severe heat wave. However, unexpected events like wildfires could still strain supplies. [Extracted from the article]

PG&E Corp. CEO Patti Poppe has suggested that California should consider keeping its last nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, open beyond its planned closure in 2030. This comes after Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature agreed to a five-year extension for the plant to prevent blackouts as older gas-fired facilities shut down. While this decision pleased nuclear advocates, it has faced opposition from environmentalists. Poppe believes that extending the plant's operation would be a good policy, as California's heavy reliance on solar power leaves it vulnerable to outages during evenings without sunlight. [Extracted from the article]

Portland General Electric Co. has announced plans to join California's new day-ahead power market in 2026. The move is aimed at reducing costs and improving grid integration across the US West. The utility company expects the new market to save them between $6 million and $18 million annually. Other entities, such as the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s PacifiCorp, have also expressed interest in joining the market. [Extracted from the article]

California's plan to bring offshore wind farms to its coastline by 2035 may be difficult to achieve, according to BloombergNEF. The state has mandated the construction of over 56 gigawatts of clean energy in the next 11 years, with 8% of that coming from offshore wind. However, analysts believe that California will fall short of its target, estimating that the state will only have 1.1 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Challenges such as regulatory uncertainty, deep waters, high costs, and a lack of a local supply chain make it difficult for California to meet its installation goals. Additionally, developers are facing opposition from conservationists. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California's reservoirs are still brimming from last winter's heavy rains and snow, even as El Niño raises the possibility of a second strong rainy season in a row, state and federal officials said. The El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean typically brings California wetter-than-average winters, but State Climatologist Michael Anderson said it's still too soon to know if that will hold true this year. California Water Reservoirs Are Still Brimming as El Niño Looms. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on the lithium deposits located in the Salton Sea region of southern California. Topics include the importance of lithium for manufacturing electric car batteries, the extraction of lithium being done by Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co., and the buyout of startup Simbol Materials LLC by automobile company Tesla.

(Bloomberg) -- Startup Verdagy Inc. has raised $73 million in series B funding to make industrial-sized electrolyzers, the machines at the heart of a future green hydrogen economy. Its advanced alkaline electrolyzer - consuming 20 megawatts of electricity, or as much as 15,000 homes - will help cut the costs of green hydrogen and make it easier for companies currently using gas-based hydrogen to switch. [Extracted from the article]

Energy Emergency Alert Watch These notices can be issued the day before a potential emergency, if the California Independent System Operator - which runs most of the state's grid - sees electricity demand possibly outstripping supply. (Bloomberg) -- California's power grid has so far survived this summer's heat intact, with none of the rolling blackouts that have occasionally struck the state in the past. [Extracted from the article]

But at the unveiling of the Calpine project Friday, California's top climate change regulator said some fossil fuel plants will still be needed to keep electricity service reliable as the state moves to eliminate its net carbon emissions by 2045. (Bloomberg) -- A $25 million project at a Calpine Corp. power plant near San Francisco will test a technology that could capture 95% of a plant's carbon emissions, a process California officials say is critical to the state's climate fight. [Extracted from the article]

Batteries can soak up electricity at midday, when California often has more solar power than it can use, then feed electricity to the grid in the evening as the sun goes down. (Bloomberg) -- California has, in just three years, seen a tenfold increase in batteries plugged into its grid as solar and wind installations take the place of aging gas-burning power plants. [Extracted from the article]

California's grid operator said the state successfully avoided rolling blackouts Tuesday during a brutal heat wave -- but some cities apparently didn't get the message. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Bloomberg) -- Don't let all the flooding fool you: The same rain and snow that have drenched California this winter and spring risk making the state's next seasonal calamity - fire season - even worse. An epic winter left parts of the Central Valley underwater, a problem that may persist for months as one of California's largest mountain snowpacks on record melts. Much will depend on how soon the next rainy season begins, and whether California's notorious autumn winds arrive first. [Extracted from the article]

Read More: California's Crippling Drought Is Almost Over After Big Storms Newsom imposed the restrictions nearly two years ago, as another dry winter left the nation's most populous state sinking deeper into drought. (Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom lifted many of the water-use restrictions he imposed during the state's punishing three-year drought, now that months of intense rains have refilled reservoirs and inundated farm fields. [Extracted from the article]

The "bomb cyclone" that lashed San Francisco on Tuesday was the latest in an epic series of extreme weather events to hit California since New Year's Eve. (Bloomberg) -- The costs of California's relentless winter storms keep rising. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- San Francisco Bay Area cities hammered by relentless winter storms faced hurricane-like conditions Tuesday that knocked down power lines, snapped trees in half and raised the prospect of fresh flooding. The southern half of the San Francisco Bay Area was hit by a bomb cyclone, a rapidly strengthening low-pressure system that brought 80 miles per hour (129 kilometers) wind gusts and driving rain across the region, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California at Los Angeles. [Extracted from the article]

Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed creating a new watchdog office within the California Energy Commission to monitor the state's petroleum market for signs of price manipulation. (Bloomberg) -- California regulators have opened an inquiry into high natural gas prices, which have sent utility bills soaring during a cold and stormy winter. [Extracted from the article]

The first of two back-to-back storms - atmospheric rivers that draw warm, moist air from far out over the ocean - struck as California struggles to recover from months of extreme weather. (Bloomberg) -- A deadly rainstorm thrashing California has forced homeowners to flee rising rivers, closed roads, caused at least two deaths and prompted President Joe Biden to declare a state of emergency. [Extracted from the article]

Read More: California Reels as "Rivers" in Sky Morph From Blessing to Curse But the warmth of the new round of storms poses an increased flooding risk because much snow remains at relatively low elevations that will now see rain. (Bloomberg) -- Heavy rains and damaging winds swept into California as the first of two back-to-back atmospheric rivers brought the renewed threat of flooding and mudslides to a state already battered by deadly winter storms. [Extracted from the article]

That was more than twice the system's floor price of $22.20 and well above the $27.85 price of allowances sold in the most recent cap-and-trade auction held by California and Quebec. (Bloomberg) -- Washington State reported the results of its first cap-and-trade auction for fighting climate change, as carbon markets gain renewed interest among US policy makers trying to slash greenhouse gas emissions. [Extracted from the article]

A coalition of seven states - including Washington - and four Canadian provinces in 2008 agreed in principle to develop a joint cap-and-trade system, but only California and Quebec followed through. (Bloomberg) -- Washington State will report the results of its first cap-and-trade auction for fighting climate change, as carbon markets gain renewed interest among US policy makers trying to slash greenhouse gas emissions. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- An exceptionally cold winter storm buffeting California brought snow to coastal hills that rarely see it, shut major highways near Los Angeles and Santa Cruz and knocked out power to more than 110,000 homes and businesses. The sprawling storm dropped snow near sea level along the state's far northern coast while triggering the San Diego area's first-ever blizzard warning, near the Mexican border. [Extracted from the article]

"I don't think we're going to completely step out of drought", said Brad Rippey, author of the US Drought Monitor that maps conditions across the country. (Bloomberg) -- An unusually cold winter storm that's forecast to bring snow to the hills surrounding San Francisco and Los Angeles this week could make for some picturesque moments but won't end California's historic drought. [Extracted from the article]

Heavy rain is forecast again on Saturday, but after that the storms will begin to taper off, said Bob Oravec, a senior branch forecaster with the US Weather Prediction Center. (Bloomberg) -- California could start to dry out next week as the seemingly unending string of Pacific storms starts start to wind down after one last burst this weekend. [Extracted from the article]

The storms so far have caused more than $30 billion in damages, according to AccuWeather Inc. California officials said they continue to do damage assessments and do not yet have a total. (Bloomberg) -- Storm-weary California is bracing for new round of drenching rains, heavy snowfall and dangerous winds as the death toll from a series of atmospheric rivers reached 19 people. [Extracted from the article]

While drought-stricken California desperately needs rain and snow, the last two weeks have brought a series of storms that unleashed more water than some areas can handle. The weather pattern steering storms toward California appears locked in place for weeks to come, forecasters say, with the state likely to see significant precipitation every two to three days. (Bloomberg) -- A powerful storm with hurricane-force gusts is winding down after ripping across California, leaving behind power outages, flood threats and road closures just hours before another drenching is set to wash over the state. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- A powerful storm with hurricane-force gusts is winding down after ripping across California, leaving behind power outages, flood threats and road closures just hours before another drenching is set to wash over the state. While drought-stricken California desperately needs rain and snow, the last two weeks have brought a series of storms that unleashed more water than some areas can handle. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California faces heavy rain and ferocious winds as a powerful storm system adds to recent downpours that have burst levees and triggered mudslides. The Pacific storm intensified so rapidly it has become what meteorologists call a bomb cyclone, bringing hurricane-strength winds that are driving a deep ribbon of moisture off the ocean into California. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California faces a long night of heavy rain and ferocious winds, as a powerful storm system adds to recent downpours that have burst levees and triggered mudslides. The Pacific storm intensified so rapidly it has become what meteorologists call a bomb cyclone, bringing hurricane-strength winds that are driving a deep ribbon of moisture off the ocean into California. [Extracted from the article]

A colder band of heavy storms poised to strike California this week should add to its snowpack, de Guzman said. (Bloomberg) -- The parade of storms that triggered deadly floods in California last week provided a needed boost to the state's snowpack, a major source of drinking water that has shriveled with climate change and drought. [Extracted from the article]

President Joe Biden has made the development of a domestic battery supply chain a high priority, and manufacturers have announced plans for several US facilities, often working with automakers that will build EVs. (Bloomberg) -- Advanced battery startup Sparkz Inc. will unveil Friday a manufacturing plant in the San Francisco Bay Area, part of a wave of planned US factories that will supply the cells that now power phones, cars and even the electric grid. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The wildfire smoke that's often seen blanketing California skies is more than just a problem for breathing - it can also drastically slash electricity generated by solar panels in a state that's been struggling to meet all its power needs. A new study from the National Center for Atmospheric Research shows that smoke can cut solar power production by nearly a third. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- More than 24,400 southern California homes and businesses could spend Thanksgiving in the dark as Edison International's local utility may shut off power to prevent fires during a wind storm. Such "public safety power shutoffs", however, have been rare this year as several summer and fall rain storms cut the risk of fires. [Extracted from the article]

The project marks the second desalination plant to gain approval this year in a state plagued by droughts, as climate change dries river beds and makes it harder to get fresh water. (Bloomberg) -- California regulators approved the first phase of a $330 million desalination plant despite intense community opposition, underscoring the urgency for fresh water sources as a historic drought deepens in the region. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California's power-grid operator declared a transmission emergency for the northern part of the state as high winds buffet the region. PG&E Corp., which provides electricity to much of Northern California, asked officials to declare the emergency Tuesday for Humboldt County, according to a spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator, which runs the grid. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California officials investigating the deadly Fairview Fire seized some Edison International overhead wires, including one that showed signs of damage, according to a report the company filed with state regulators. At the investigators' request, Edison and Frontier removed some overhead equipment in the area and turned it over to the department, better known as Cal Fire. [Extracted from the article]

"For fresh produce, where you're relying on refrigeration, if that goes down, it can have a huge impact", said Wyatt Maysey, director of sustainability for Taylor Farms, in an interview. (Bloomberg) -- California's repeated brushes with blackouts proved too much for Taylor Farms. [Extracted from the article]

The plant will remain tied to the grid for now, at least until Taylor Farms is convinced the plant can operate on its own. (Bloomberg) -- California's repeated brushes with blackouts proved too much for Taylor Farms. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California's fight against global warming is on a collision course with its rickety grid. But beneath the snark lies a real issue: California's climate policies will increase electricity demand. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California concluded its fifth power-grid emergency in as many days several hours early after concern eased that a tropical storm would impact power supply. While the storm's center won't make landfall in the Golden State, its rain and clouds will drop a curtain on the lingering heat. [Extracted from the article]

While the storm's center won't make landfall in the Golden State, its rain and clouds will drop a curtain on the lingering heat. (Bloomberg) -- California declared a power-grid emergency for a fifth day Friday as rain from a tropical storm along Mexico's Pacific Coast headed north, delivering relief from sweltering temperatures but increasing concerns about the power supply. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California declared a power-grid emergency for a fifth day Friday as the state awaits a tropical storm that may deliver both relief from sweltering temperatures and grief over potential flooding and wildfires. It asked customers to conserve energy from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tropical Storm Kay is sweeping north along the Mexico's Baja California peninsula and while it won't make landfall in the Golden State, its rains and clouds will filter in across the state to drop a curtain on the lingering heat. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California faces the dual threat of blackouts from an overwhelmed grid as well as from the risk of wildfires as a punishing heat wave continues to exact a toll on the state's power system. Californians are also seeing gasoline prices surge again despite summer travel season coming to an end. [Extracted from the article]

But if they charge in the middle of the day, when California already has more solar energy than it can use, they could feed power back to the grid in the evening and actually ease electricity shortages. (Bloomberg) -- After narrowly avoiding blackouts, California faces another bruising test of its power grid Thursday as a heat wave smothering the state builds, driving temperatures to dangerous levels. [Extracted from the article]

Instead, PG&E will receive a $100 million management fee for each year of extended operations, money that must be spent directly on running Diablo Canyon, safety work or accelerating the energy transition. The legislature approved a proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to keep the Diablo Canyon plant, owned by PG&E Corp., running through 2030, rather than closing as previously planned in 2025. (Bloomberg) -- California legislators voted to extend the life of the state's last nuclear power plant by five years as protection against blackouts -- provided the federal government pays much of the cost. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- California faces another bruising test of its power grid Thursday as a heat wave smothering the region builds, driving temperatures to dangerous levels. But if they charge in the middle of the day, when California already has more solar energy than it can use, they could feed power back to the grid in the evening and actually ease electricity shortages. [Extracted from the article]

Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed an emergency proclamation Wednesday to free up extra electricity supplies, warned the extreme temperatures could linger for a week and asked Californians to cut back on power use. (Bloomberg) -- California called off its power-grid emergency as night fell and temperatures dropped, averting blackouts for now amid a heat wave that could threaten electricity supplies through the long Labor Day weekend. [Extracted from the article]

The legislature approved a proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to keep the Diablo Canyon plant, owned by PG&E Corp., running through 2030, rather than closing as previously planned in 2025. (Bloomberg) -- California legislators voted to extend the life of the state's last nuclear power plant by five years as protection against blackouts -- provided the federal government pays much of the cost. Instead, PG&E will receive a $100 million management fee for each year of extended operations, money that must be spent directly on running Diablo Canyon, safety work or accelerating the energy transition. [Extracted from the article]