Climate Break

• How Curbside Charging Increases EV Accessibility, with Tiya Gordon

  The Rise in EV AdoptionThe US electric vehicle (EV) market is expected to reach a revenue of $95.9 billion this year, with a projected annual growth rate of 12.61% over the course of the next four years. By 2035, California and twelve other states are planning to achieve 100% zero-emission new vehicle sales, calling upon local governments to assist in the EV transition to ensure equitable access to this new technology. For homeowners who have the ability to power up in their own garage, making the transition to EVs is relatively easy; however, for renters and those living in larger metropolitan areas, access to charging infrastructure remains a significant challenge. Although EV adoption is on the rise, urban areas are under constraint as they do not have sufficient charging infrastructure to keep up with heightening demand. High building density, limited capacity of the electricity grid, and insufficient funding and staffing are posing challenges for city governments across the country. Brooklyn-based startup, It’s Electric, is working on one possible solution to this problem through the installation of curbside charging, powered from buildings on the adjacent property rather than directly from the utility grid. Building EV Charging AccessibilityCurbside charging works by minimizing the distance consumers need to travel to fuel their EV, thereby increasing accessibility of charging infrastructure. Many dense-urban areas have been referred to as “charging deserts,” due to their lack of accessible EV charging infrastructure, making the transition in these areas particularly challenging. Instead of the mainstream route in which charging infrastructure is developed through utility connections (which can be a 12 to 18 month process), startups like It’s Electric partner with property owners, acquire the relevant permits, and install and maintain a charger powered by the building’s electrical supply. Property owners can thus use untapped electricity supplies, allowing for installation without extensive infrastructure development or direct connections, providing property owners with passive revenue. Instead of working directly with electric utilities to install their chargers, It’s Electric partners with municipalities and building owners directly. Further, the parking space will be maintained by the city, so the property owner doesn’t need to worry about managing and maintaining the parking spot.Benefits of Curbside ChargingCurbside charging provides immense promise for city governments in transitioning towards more equitable access of EV charging infrastructure. For lower-income communities – particularly those without access to private driveways, garages, or who reside in multifamily housing – publicly accessible EV charging can help reduce barriers to participation in the ongoing shift to electric vehicles. As curbside charging is still in the beginning stages of development, policymakers can incorporate community members in decision-making. Thus, EV charging can be largely community-driven, incorporating opinions from local residents to make the transition fit the needs of the community. In dense urban areas, curbside charging can assist in reducing pollution and GHG emissions, particularly in high-emissions neighborhoods. Other strategies to keep in mind include providing discounts and cost reduction measures for lower income drivers as well as strategies like car share, mobility hubs, and colocation with other transportation services to improve accessibility. DrawbacksWithout addressing lower-income communities and those living in rental properties, EV charging can exacerbate current socioeconomic disparities and push marginalized communities out of the growing market. Thus, in tackling this transition, focus must be placed on targeted communities that lack the necessary resources to successfully adopt EVs. It’s Electric has noted that there is more demand than they can meet right now, which represents the urgent call for this transition to occur. It’s Electric is currently integrating Level 2 chargers into city infrastructure, rather than the faster direct current (DC) chargers that can power one’s vehicle in 15-30 minutes. Because DC chargers take up significant amounts of space, require more infrastructure to develop, and utilize more electricity, it is not yet feasible to implement these in urban areas. Unfortunately, that leads to slower charging times and potentially limits an area’s charging capacity. Another drawback of curbside charging in large cities can be attributed to limited sidewalk space and thus heightened demand for the few available units. Amidst these potential challenges, It’s Electric has successfully resolved problems such as grid capacity and design by providing affordable, easy to install, and compact charging stations. By working collectively with policymakers, urban planners, transportation specialists, and community members, companies like It’s Electric have begun to make curbside charging a reality.Who is Tiya Gordon?Tiya Gordon, co-founder of It’s Electric, is transforming the way we approach EV charging by reimagining how publicly accessible chargers are integrated into public spaces. Tiya holds 20 years experience in design, leadership, and operations across a range of disciplines for some of the country’s top firms and institutions. She is now venturing to spend the next 20 years building companies that use design to wage war against the Climate Crisis.For a transcript, please visit: https://climatebreak.org/curbside-charging-increases-ev-accessibility-with-tiya-gordon/

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• Rerun: Making Electric Heating Accessible and Affordable for Low-Income Residents, with Sarah Moskowitz

  Electric Heat: A Hot Topic in ChicagoIn cold winter months, many people have to rely on fossil gas to heat their homes and power cookstoves. Yet all-electric appliances, including heat pumps to heat homes, are quickly becoming a cheaper alternative over the long term, though they often entail higher upfront costs compared to gas appliances.In Chicago, the switch from natural gas to electricity is moving forward, but it is also revealing unintended challenges for low-income residents that are applicable to the broader energy transition. In the historic city core, many older buildings lack weatherproofing and insulation against extreme winter cold. Climate and health impacts, and the high price of burning fossil fuels for heat, provide ample reasons to switch from fossil gas to electricity. But as high-income people are doing so, they leave some of the most vulnerable people behind. As a result, Chicago is now pioneering an effort to support lower-income residents making the transition to all-electric heating. What are the Climate and Health Impacts of Gas HeatingGas heating is powered by natural gas, which is mainly composed of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. From a climate perspective, methane’s ability to trap heat in the atmosphere is 84 times greater over a 20-year period than carbon dioxide, making it the second most important contributor to climate change. And, because it lasts for 10 to 15 years in the atmosphere, while CO2 lasts 100 years or more, reducing methane emissions will rid the atmosphere of a potent greenhouse gas much more quickly. One-third of human-caused methane emissions come from the energy sector, and a large portion of methane use comes from waste such as leaks and venting. From a health perspective, a byproduct of natural gas called nitrogen dioxide is known to reduce lung function, and cooking with natural gas stoves has been linked to childhood asthma. Natural gas’s climate impacts and more immediate respiratory impacts may pose a health risk in homes that can be reduced by a switch over to electric heating. Why are People Flipping the Switch?As the price of natural gas rises, electricity may become a cheaper option for many Americans. The current structure of utility companies contributes to the high costs that ratepayers are facing. One concept found in utilities is the rate base, which refers to the amount of money and resources a utility company uses to produce and deliver electricity, water, or gas services. Regulators decide whether or not the investments that companies make are considered “prudent” and these expenses are added up to form the rate base, upon which the utilities are allowed to earn a rate so they can profit. This structure means that the costs of large capital investments are paid for by an increase in a rider on ratepayers’ bills, passing the cost burden onto customers.For electricity here in California, the threat of wildfires caused by powerlines and the high cost of building transmission means that ratepayers face high electricity rates, especially compared to gas. Meanwhile in Chicago, one main reason many residents are switching to electric heating is because of recent price hikes from the major gas utilities supplier. According to Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director at the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois, a retrofitting effort by the gas utility in Chicago means that customers may be facing unusually high bill riders over fifty dollars, a fixed cost applied even before any gas is used. There is a strong economic incentive in Chicago driving people who can afford to switch over their appliances to electric.But what about those who cannot afford to move away from gas heating? According to Moskowitz, primarily low-income Black and brown communities face some of the biggest impacts of soaring natural gas prices. In addition, the rate base system which allows costs to be passed onto consumers can further exacerbate the problem. As people with the means to switch away from gas do so, this lowers the number of gas customers across which the utility company can divide its costs. This means that the people who can least afford it will bear a greater portion of the costs, a problem sometimes known as the utility debt spiral. But new legislation and funding are attempting to build a path out. Making Heat Accessible & AffordableIn an effort to set Illinois on the path to carbon-free and renewable energy, a law that contains interesting pathways for utility justice was passed in 2021. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CJA) sets ambitious clean energy goals, but does so in a way that prioritizes equity. The bill provides finance for lower-income residents and provides support for energy efficiency and renewable energy workforce development. According to Moskowitz, one particularly climate-justice-focused program is the equitable energy upgrade program, a form of utility bill financing. The law requires major Illinois utilities to file multi-year rate plans, and from these, 40% of the benefits must go toward low-income communities. Exactly how the benefit process will work is being determined. The CJA provides a framework that can be adapted for many other regions. As Chicago takes on the challenge of moving towards renewable electricity in a city with older infrastructure and high heat demand, the city may serve as a case study that other cities can look to when planning for clean energy alongside justice and equity.Who is Sarah Moskowitz?Sarah Moskowitz is the Executive Director at the Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois, which has represented the interests of utility ratepayers since the 1970s. CUB works to get more consumer-friendly laws passed, runs a utility question & complaint hotline, and organizes consumer education and outreach programs.Further ReadingEuropean Commission: Methane EmissionsPearce, Johns Hopkins University: Gas Stoves Risks to Our Planet and HealthEIA,  US Energy Information Administration: Outlook for Natural Gas PriceErnst, S&P Global: Understanding Rate Base (Regulatory Research Associates, S&P)EPA, Illinois EPA: Climate and Equitable Jobs ActFor a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/making-electric-heating-accessible-and-affordable-for-low-income-residents-with-sarah-moskowitz/

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• Water Batteries, with Erik Steimle

  Pumped Storage Hydropower as a Climate SolutionPumped storage hydropower, also known as water batteries, are often used as a means to store excess renewable energy. For example, solar and wind may generate more energy than is needed during certain times of the day and less than what is needed at other times.  As a result, water batteries are extremely useful as a way to store and release energy during peak demand periods or when renewable sources are unavailable (i.e, when the sun is down). This form of energy storage is used in many places across the country, and across the world, including Tennessee, Kentucky, and San Diego. Current and Future Use of Pumped Storage HydropowerIn San Diego County, a proposed pumped storage hydropower project would connect a lake to large underground pipes which will “connect this lake to a new reservoir… 1100 feet higher in elevation” so that “when the sun is high in the sky, California’s abundant solar power will pump water into that upper reservoir.” When the sun is down, the water would be released to the lower lake, generating around ”500 megawatts of electricity for up to eight hours” which is “enough to power 130,000 typical homes.”At Tennessee’s Raccoon Mountain, TVA stores the excess energy as gravitational potential energy and produces about “1700 megawatts of electricity” when in demand during the day. It takes extremely long for these projects to get approved because the investment is “more than 2 billion dollars for a large plant”.  The project consists of three components: a lower reservoir “bounded by a 62 meter high dam” and “replenished as need to make up for evaporation;” an underground powerhouse which is “a 137-meter-long cavern” housing “three pump turbines;” and an upper reservoir which “would be some 600 meters across and bounded by a 53 meter high dam.”All currently operating pumped storage hydropower projects in the U.S. are “open-loop” facilities, meaning the lower reservoir is a natural water source such as a lake or river. This is the case with the San Diego and Racoon Mountain projects. In contrast, “closed-loop” pumped storage is built offstream and operates independently of natural waterways. For example, at a proposed pumped storage facility in Kentucky, an old coal mine is being repurposed to be used as a water battery. This land has “hosted mining for at least 70 years” and this “project would deliver up to 287 megawatts of power for up to 8 hours, giving it more storage in the tank than the biggest lithium battery plants built thus far”. Closed-loop pumped storage is generally viewed more favorably than open-loop systems by many environmental groups, tribes, and modern hydropower developers because it avoids continuous interaction with natural waterways and can reduce impacts on fish and river ecosystems.Benefits of Water BatteriesWater batteries are incredibly useful for long-duration energy storage and can help balance fluctuations in renewable energy sources like solar and wind by providing power during peak demand periods. For instance, in San Diego, “the San Vincente project would store roughly as much electricity as batteries in 50,000 of Tesla’s long range Model 3 cars” and does not need materials like cobalt and lithium which are not only hard to find but create a lot of e-waste (and side effects with mining). Moreover, these projects fuel the economy and can create an abundance of construction jobs.Challenges of ImplementationPumped hydropower requires a lot of land, and flooding impacts habitat, and in some cases areas protected by indigenous tribes. The land and local ecosystem impacts can be very substantial. Moreover, water batteries require significant elevation difference between reservoirs to be effective so there are often geographic limitations to deployment. It can be extremely challenging to find places to build water batteries because they require specific topography as well as impacting the surrounding landscape. On top of this, these “facilities are expensive to build and take years to develop”. However, once they are in full structural integrity, they “store energy for far longer than lithium-ion batteries… and they last for many decades with minimal deterioration.”Erik Steimle emphasizes that pumped hydropower/water batteries are a great way to generate energy in a more sustainable manner, however, he acknowledges that there are some downfalls of it. For example, pumped hydropower/water batteries must undergo extensive regulatory practices involving federal agencies that other types of energy storage and renewables do not, posing a barrier to widespread accessibility. Another benefit is the durability of this equipment, which can be useful for hundreds of years.About our guestErik Steimle is the Chief Development Officer of Rye Development (tapped by DOE for the Kentucky project) and he is on the board of directors of the National Hydropower Association. Moreover, he has over twenty years of management experience in developing large-infrastructure renewable energy projects (especially in regards to hydropower). ResourcesNPR: ‘Water batteries’ could store solar and wind power for when it’s neededCanary Media: This Kentucky Coal mine could transform into pumped-hydro grid storageScience: How giant ‘water batteries’ could make green power reliable | Science | AAASStanford University: UnCommon Dialogue

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• How Public Universities are Helping to Fight Climate Change, with Bruce Riordan

  The Role of Public Universities in the Fight Against Climate ChangePublic universities like UC Berkeley have played a major role in developing climate solutions, from innovation in labs to policy initiatives. In order to create positive change in the climate space, science requires funding, which universities can provide. Further, universities, of course, educate, train, and interact firsthand with people who, in the future, will work in the climate space, putting them in an essential position in terms of climate education. How UC Berkeley is Making a DifferenceUC Berkeley specifically has made several important contributions across all aspects of climate science, climate education, and climate solutions.  Some examples include Omar Yaghi’s lab and its discovery of a potentially revolutionary approach to carbon capture with COF-999, as well as the EcoBlock project in Fruitvale, Oakland, where Berkeley is helping to retrofit “residential homes to improve resilience, sustainability, and quality of life for all community members.” Further, Berkeley has established over fifty undergraduate courses related to climate issues. These courses and initiatives largely attract students because younger generations have significant firsthand experiences with climate change, including wildfires, heat waves, flooding, and air pollution. Why Climate Action from Public Universities is More Important Now than Ever BeforeWith the current uncertainty of continued federal government funding and support, some climate work may face limitations. Nonetheless, university focus on climate change is increasingly necessary to ensure that future generations of citizens are fully informed and well able to participate in a climate change constrained future. As explained by Bruce Riordan, director of the Berkeley Climate Change Network, “these problems require multiple disciplines,” and Berkeley is well positioned across multiple fields of study, research, and action,  recognizing that climate change requires integration of business, policy, and research and beyond.  About Our GuestBruce Riordan is the Director of the Berkeley Climate Change Network, a collaboration of 300+ faculty and staff at UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley Climate National Laboratory working in the climate change space. The BCCN seeks to accelerate Berkeley’s research, education and service to meet the urgency of the climate crisis by connecting researchers for interdisciplinary projects, helping to raise money for climate research, and building connections between Berkeley academics and off-campus climate leaders across industries.For a transcript, please visit: https://climatebreak.org/how-public-universities-are-helping-to-fight-climate-change-with-bruce-riordan/. 

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• Rerun: Energy as a Service, with Bob Hinkle

  What is Energy-as-a-Service?Most current energy technologies burn fossil fuels and emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming.  Adopting low and zero-carbon technologies is one way to reduce emissions, but barriers such as high upfront and maintenance costs have impeded the adoption of these technologies.  Energy as a Service (EaaS) is a pay-for-performance model in which customers benefit from sustainable-energy solutions without having to pay for energy efficiency upgrades or own the equipment. Under these arrangements, the EaaS provider provides the customer with an energy service, such as lighting, cooling, or heating, in exchange for a recurring fee.  There are parallels in other industries like the software industry, where a key business function or an asset is outsourced to a third party who then takes over the operation of that asset. EaaS providers typically handle the installation, maintenance, and operation of energy systems. By leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics, EaaS aims to enhance energy efficiency, reduce costs, and support sustainability goals, helping businesses improve their energy performance without significant upfront investment.Benefits of the Energy-as-a-Service ModelBy shifting from a traditional ownership model to a service-based approach, customers can avoid the high initial costs associated with purchasing and installing energy infrastructure. Instead, they pay for the energy services provided, often through a subscription or pay-as-you-go arrangement.  EaaS providers typically take on the responsibility for the installation, maintenance, and operation of the energy systems, allowing customers to focus on their core business activities without worrying about energy management. EaaS can also support sustainability goals by facilitating the adoption of renewable energy sources and other low-carbon technologies. Providers can tailor energy solutions to meet specific environmental objectives, helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint and comply with regulatory requirements. Furthermore, EaaS models often incorporate advanced technologies and data analytics, enabling more information about and control over energy consumption, which results in better demand management and reduced energy waste.The EaaS model also offers flexibility and scalability. As energy needs change over time, customers can easily adjust their energy services without the need for significant reinvestment or restructuring. This adaptability is particularly valuable in a rapidly evolving energy landscape, with frequent technological advancements and policy changes.Barriers to Adoption of the Energy-as-a-Service ModelOur guest notes that energy efficiency and sustainable energy projects have been undervalued and not prioritized in the past. While many companies see energy efficiency and sustainable energy projects as the right thing to do, there are often other items that rise to the top of the to-do list. In addition, businesses and individuals may be unfamiliar with the EaaS concept, leading to hesitation in adopting this model.  Projects can take significant time to plan and install, which can also serve as a barrier.  To date, the EaaS model has been geared towards primarily larger business and commercial customers that are consuming a higher amount of energy, rather than residences and smaller businesses.   However, utility companies and governments sometimes offer energy audits and incentives for adopting energy-efficient equipment, and new companies may eventually serve this market.About our guestBob Hinkle is the founder and Executive Chairman of Metrus Energy. He created the Efficiency Services Agreement that the company has utilized to finance large-scale efficiency retrofit projects. Previously, Bob was vice president of energy efficiency (EE) at MMA Renewable Ventures where he directed the company’s overall energy efficiency financing business and investment opportunities.Further ReadingWhat Is Efficiency-As-A-Service?How to finance the world’s growing cooling needs? Blended public-private funding solutions.How Cooling as a Service is set to revolutionise the cooling industryMetrus EnergyFor a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/energy-as-a-service-with-bob-hinkle/.

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