California

California’s Clean Energy Research Program Funds $1 Billion of Innovative Projects, Attracts $7.8 Billion in Private Investment

Published

3 years ago

May 19, 2022

California’s Clean Energy Research Program Funds Billion of Innovative Projects, Attracts .8 Billion in Private Investment

For Quick Launch: Might 19, 2022

Sacramento – As California’s premier public-interest clear vitality analysis and growth program enters its tenth 12 months and surpasses $1 billion in investments, a new report reveals how it’s serving to the state handle the local weather problem whereas attracting funding and creating jobs.

The California Power Fee’s Electrical Program Funding Cost (EPIC) program invests greater than $130 million yearly on initiatives that advance the environmental sustainability, reliability, and affordability of the electrical system.

Since 2012, EPIC has supported greater than 430 initiatives with $1 billion in funding leading to $7.8 billion in non-public funding raised by awardees starting from main universities to small start-up corporations.

“The EPIC program represents one of the best of California’s entrepreneurial spirit by bringing clear vitality innovation from the lab to {the marketplace},” mentioned CEC Chair David Hochschild. “These applied sciences and instruments are serving to the state handle our most urgent local weather and vitality problem whereas benefitting electrical ratepayers.”

Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2022–23 finances proposal builds on EPIC’s success by together with $1 billion for grants to corporations headquartered in California. The grants can be used to develop and commercialize new expertise breakthroughs to assist the state obtain its local weather and clear vitality objectives.

Since its inception, the EPIC program has tackled a wide range of points to decarbonize {the electrical} system and handle the devastating results of local weather change. For instance, greater than $232 million has been authorised for initiatives that cut back greenhouse gasoline emissions (GHG) whereas enhancing the affordability, well being, and luxury of houses and companies.

One other instance is grid resiliency and security. Over the previous few years, hundreds of thousands of Californians have been impacted by excessive warmth and wildfires. Since 2012, greater than $182 million has been awarded to advance protected and resilient vitality techniques just like the microgrid on the California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport in McKinleyville. That system makes use of photo voltaic panels to generate electrical energy and batteries to retailer vitality, permitting it to function independently of the bigger electrical grid and supply emergency providers even throughout energy outages.

The EPIC program is investing in innovation in nearly each sector of the state together with its burgeoning offshore wind business, the electrification of its transportation system, the event of long-duration batteries and the development of fresh vitality entrepreneurs.

This system additionally helps the state’s farmers. California is the nation’s breadbasket, however shrinking freshwater reserves are more and more straining farmers, who should cope with rising water and vitality prices. EPIC funding helped San Mateo-based AgMonitor develop software program that helps farmers higher monitor and handle water use, cut back vitality prices, and enhance revenues.

Different EPIC-funded improvements profiled within the new report embrace:

Clear photovoltaic window coating that may harness photo voltaic vitality from glass surfaces to generate electrical energy, all whereas remaining visibly indistinguishable from conventional home windows.
Panels that use radiative cooling, rejecting warmth from rooftops out previous the ambiance and into the chilly expanses of area, turning the sky right into a renewable useful resource for cooling.
3D concrete printing manufacturing expertise that enables for on-site building of low-cost, ultra-tall wind turbine towers.
A lithium-metal battery system that will increase vitality density as much as 48 p.c together with distinctive energy output and cycle life, which will increase the vary and capability for electrical automobiles and plane.

To make sure all Californians profit from the state’s vitality transformation, greater than two-thirds of EPIC expertise demonstration and deployment funds have been invested in initiatives with websites in low-income and deprived communities and California Native American tribes.

Though the EPIC program is a decade previous, its influence will probably be felt lengthy into the long run. In 2020, it was renewed by the California Public Utilities Fee guaranteeing one other decade of help for the entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the state’s vitality future.

Be taught extra in regards to the EPIC program and the initiatives it helps by viewing the 2021 EPIC Highlights.

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In regards to the California Power Fee
The California Power Fee is main the state to a 100% clear vitality future. It has seven core tasks: creating renewable vitality, remodeling transportation, rising vitality effectivity, investing in vitality innovation, advancing state vitality coverage, certifying thermal energy crops, and getting ready for vitality emergencies.

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California

Where are mandatory evacuation orders in place for California wildfires? See maps

Published

39 minutes ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Where are mandatory evacuation orders in place for California wildfires? See maps

Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect Thursday morning as wildfires continued to rage across parts of Southern California.

The deadly fires broke out this week and have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. As of Thursday morning, at least five deaths had been confirmed, and nearly 250,000 were without power in the region, according to the USA TODAY power outage tracker.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency this week as more than 100,000 people have been forced to flee homes and evacuate the area.

The fires − Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Lidia, and Sunset − have burned thousands of acres and continue to spread due to humidity and dry vegetation, authorities said. Before the fires started, the National Weather Service issued its highest alert for extreme fire conditions in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

As of Thursday morning, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, and Sunset fires were at zero containment, while firefighters had contained 10% of the Hurst Fire and 40% of the Lidia Fire.

Here’s where evacuation orders are in place for California and how to stay up-to-date on the latest.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Palisades Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place from Malibu to Santa Monica, including Topanga State Park and stretching into the city as far south as Montana Avenue, as of just after 4:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire.

Wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are expected to continue through Thursday in that area, CAL Fire reported online, “potentially aiding in further fire activity and suppression efforts.”

View an interactive map of Palisades Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Hurst Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place for the San Fernando Valley, specifically at the Michael D. Antonovich Open Space Preserve, Stetson Ranch Park and Whitney Canyon Park, about 4:45 a.m. local time on Thursday, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation warnings were in place just north and south of the area.

View an interactive map of Hurst Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

What are the evacuation orders in place for the Lidia Fire?

As of just after 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, no evacuation orders were in effect in connection to the Lidia Fire.

But Soledad Canyon Road between Agua Dulce Canyon Road and Crown Valley Road remained closed, CAL FIRE reported, as well as the entire Angeles National Forest for public safety and the protection of natural resources. The forest will remain closed through Jan. 15 at midnight.

View an interactive map of Lidia Fire on the Cal Fire website.

What are the evacuation orders in place for the Sunset Fire?

“The majority of the evacuation zone for the Sunset Fire is lifted with the exception of the area North of Franklin Ave from Camino Palmero St (East border) to North Sierra Bonita Ave. (West border)”, according to Cal Fire.

Where are evacuation orders in place for the Eaton Fire?

Evacuation orders were in place, as of about 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, for areas near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive, Altadena and Pasadena, Cal Fire reported.

Evacuation warnings were in place for areas just west and south of the area.

View an interactive map of Eaton Fire evacuation orders and warnings on the Cal Fire website.

Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

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California

Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’

Published

9 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears on ‘Tonight Show’ over California wildfire ‘catastrophe’ near her home: ‘It’s f–king gnarly, guys’

Jamie Lee Curtis fought back tears as she detailed the “catastrophe” of the Palisades Fire near her California home when she appeared on “The Tonight Show” Wednesday.

“As you know, where I live is on fire right now. Literally, the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning. I flew here last night. I was on the plane and started getting texts. It’s f–king gnarly, you guys,” Curtis said.

“It’s a catastrophe in Southern California. Obviously there has been horrific fires in many places. This is literally where I live. Everything.”

Curtis said she had “many, many, many” friends who have lost their homes in the devastation of the fires.

“It’s a really awful situation,” she added.

The 66-year-old added she was flying home first thing Thursday to be with her family and friends.

The Academy Award-winning actress, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband Christopher Guest, took to Instagram earlier Wednesday to share with her followers that her home was “possibly” on fire.

“My community and possibly my home is on fire,” the actress wrote in the post. “My family is safe. Many of my friends will lose their homes. Many other communities as well.”

“Take care of each other,” she told her followers. “Stay out of the way and let the firefighters do their work. Pray if you believe in it and even if you don’t, pray for those who do.”

Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires

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The Emmy winner is one of tens of thousands of people who have been forced to flee their homes in Pacific Palisades and neighboring areas.

Four fires have exploded in Los Angeles County, taking over 27,000 acres of land with zero containment in the Palisades, Eaton and Sunset fires.

The Hurst Fire is 10 percent contained, officials announced.

The fires are being fueled by strong winds, “dry fuels” and low humidity.

The “Halloween” star isn’t the only Hollywood figure whose home is under threat due to the fires.

Harrison Ford was seen talking to police as he attempted to get through to check on his $12.6 million Brentwood home he had evacuated because of the raging blaze.

Ford’s “Star Wars” co-star Mark Hamill was forced to flee his Malibu home Tuesday as the fire bore down on the area.

The 73-year-old actor detailed his hour-long “last minute” evacuation from Malibu as he experienced the most horrific fire since 1993.

Other LA-based celebrities have been forced to evacuate their homes amid the crisis, including “This Is Us” star Mandy Moore, “Schitt’s Creek” star Eugene Levy and “Once Upon a Time in America” actor James Woods.

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California

Maps: See how large the California wildfires are

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Maps: See how large the California wildfires are

Multiple major wildfires are leaving a trail of destruction and death in the Los Angeles area.

A handful of wildfires kicked up Tuesday, powered by high winds and dry conditions , and have exploded in size. As of Tuesday afternoon, 2 people have been killed and more than 80,000 people have been evacuated.

Follow live coverage here.

The maps below show the size and status of the fires. They will be updated frequently.

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