Environment

Is Oakland Doing Enough to Protect the Environment & Combat Climate Change?

Published

7 years ago

December 19, 2017

By Kyle Pennell

Have you ever wondered how green Oakland is and how we are contributing to protecting the environment and combating climate change? One major way we do this is by changing the way we produce electricity. Household electricity consumption accounts for about one-third of all energy use, so by reducing or eliminating fossil fuels in electricity production, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint as individuals and as a city. Installing solar panels is theeasiest and most effective way to make electricity more sustainable.

We know that more Oakland residents each year are installing solar panels on their rooftops. But we were were curious just how many rooftops have solar and how much electricity gets generated from them in Oakland. If every rooftop in Oakland had solar panels, how much electricity would this generate? Finally, how much carbon emissions would be saved by all of this?

We partnered with PowerScout, an Oakland-based U.S. Department of Energy funded startup, to help us answer these questions. PowerScout has built machine learning rooftop scanning algorithms to analyze satellite imagery of rooftops to determine which homes have installed solar panels and which haven’t. In addition to satellite imagery, the machine learning algorithm draws on about 2,000 data points per home culled from property data, weather reports, electricity prices, and other information sources to make its assessments.

How ‘Solarized’ is Oakland?

Oakland has a total of 67784 single family houses or townhomes, where consumers can adopt solar panels. PowerScout found that 2954 homes in Oakland have adopted solar power, showing a penetration rate of 4.36%.

The Oakland households that have switched to solar are saving about $3039 in their annual electric costs. Switching to solar has allowed Oakland to avoid 197918 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year – equivalent to taking out 41356 cars off roads.

How does Oakland compare to neighboring cities like Berkeley, Piedmont and Alameda?

Oakland has more solar panel users than neighboring cities but lags behind on a per capita basis.

If all Oakland households were to go solar, that would mean an additional savings of $158 million per year and taking out an additional 41,356 cars off roads. It seems a worthy goal to aspire for, especially when solar can make you $Green while helping our environment be Green.

Kyle Pennell is the content manager at PowerScout, a solar power marketplace based in Jack London square.

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Bay Area

Map Reveals Measure X Fuel Reduction Progress Throughout Richmond

Passed by voters on Nov. 3, 2020, Measure X is a 0.5% tax on taxable purchases for general purposes, with the County Board of Supervisors determining how it will be used. The tax generates approximately $120 million annually in support of county services.

Published

1 week ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

Image courtesy of the City of Richmond.

By Kathy Chouteau, The Richmond Standard

A new interactive map spotlights the City of Richmond’s efforts to reduce fire hazards on City-owned parcels through the Measure X Fuel Reduction Program.

This Fuel Reduction Initiative is one-way Measure X funding is being applied, looking to improve community safety by “managing vegetation and mitigating fire risks across high-priority areas,” according to the City of Richmond.

On the map, community members can see parcels that have been completed, approved for treatment, or are currently under review, according to city sources. It added that the map also offers people a transparent view of the program’s progress.

Check out the map at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b17c829f94e249719f9191291a0bcae4/?org=cityofrichmond to see where various parcels in Richmond stand as part of the program funded by Measure X.

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Alameda County

Electric UPS Delivery Fleet Coming to Oakland, Richmond, and SF

The project will replace the current Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco and 10 more in Richmond.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 24, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo courtesy of the Port of Oakland.

The Richmond Standard

A total of 60 UPS delivery trucks serving logistics centers in Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco will be replaced with electric versions as part of a partnership between the delivery business and the Port of Oakland.

The Port will use a newly announced award of $10.5 million in Environmental Protection Agency grants and $5 million from UPS to advance the fleet conversion.

The project will replace Class 6 UPS delivery trucks with ZE battery electric vehicles. It will also install chargers at the Bay Area logistics centers. In total, 40 vehicles and chargers are coming to the facility near Oakland, another 10 in San Francisco, and 10 more in Richmond.

The project will feature opportunities for green career pathways through workforce development and training.

“The Port of Oakland is grateful for additional investments to transition freight equipment and infrastructure to zero emissions,” Colleen Liang, the Port’s director of environmental programs and planning.

Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez said the “bold investment” will curb pollution, protect public health and provide good-paying green jobs.

“The City of Richmond welcomes this bold EPA investment in zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles,” Martinez said in a statement.

For more information, see the 2024 EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Grant Project.

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California Black Media

Gov. Newsom Goes to Washington to Advocate for California Priorities

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation. During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

Published

1 month ago

November 26, 2024

Oakland Post

Gov. Newsom visits the White House on Nov. 14. Photo courtesy of Gov.Ca. Gov

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., for meetings with senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and members of California’s congressional delegation.

During the week, he pushed for increased resources to improve public safety and quality of life in California.

“California is continuing our work to secure additional tools and resources to improve access to health care, clean air and water, and secure critical funding to support communities recovering from disasters,” said Newsom.

At the White House, Newsom met with President Joe Biden and key officials, advocating for disaster relief funding, healthcare expansion, and environmental protection. He also engaged in discussions with senior Biden-Harris officials, including Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, to address water quality improvements and the San Luis Dam project, which will support water supplies for two million Californians.

“Building on our strong partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, California is working closely with the White House over the next two months to deliver the critical protections and resources our communities need,” Newsom said.

On Capitol Hill, Newsom met with California Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, along with other Congressional leaders, to emphasize the need to approve pending disaster funding, healthcare programs, and environmental protections. He also previewed California’s upcoming special session to proactively address potential federal challenges when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Newsom’s discussions also focused on securing Medicaid waivers from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to enhance behavioral health services and reduce homelessness. The state seeks approval for the BH-CONNECT waiver, which would address behavioral health and homelessness, and the MCO Tax Waiver, which would provide over $20 billion for Medi-Cal to improve healthcare access.

Additionally, California is pushing for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are crucial for enforcing air quality regulations. These measures are projected to prevent 11,000 premature deaths and provide $116 billion in health benefits over the next three decades, according to the Governor’s office.