Mitch Ratcliffe

How much money do you really save if you drive an EV in California? I crunched the numbers on sticker price, maintenance, tolls and other factors -- including how much it costs to fuel up. The takeaway: EVs are more expensive to get off the lot, but those prices are coming down as more companies enter the market and introduce more affordable models, and there are some pretty solid deals on leases. On maintenance, you'll save a ton with an EV. Both the federal and California governments offer decent incentives for driving electric cars, but a lot of those are about to go away. It's probably not worth driving an EV if you don't have a home charger -- and you should price out what one will cost to install before you get the car. For fueling costs, it's about 40% less expensive to keep an EV charged than it is to gas up a car with an internal combustion engine in California. My calculations put the equivalent cost of a “gallon of gas” for an electric car at about $2.90. More here: https://lnkd.in/gw-8xAy4

261

738 Comments

New short piece up on Latitude Media: I went through the latest data reports from the Edison Electric Institute, and the investments utilities are making in new power generation are eye popping. Utilities are set to invest nearly as much between now and 2029 as they did in the entire previous decade. Just look at this chart: https://lnkd.in/eU2vv2zQ

13

When most people think of utility companies, “fast” isn’t the first word that comes to mind. But one leading utility provider in the Pacific Northwest set out to change that. Faced with evolving field demands, the company’s vegetation management team needed a platform that could keep up—not just today, but as their operations continued to scale. So they turned to Quickbase. Instead of waiting for a lengthy custom build, they launched a secure, scalable solution that modernized their processes and delivered immediate impact. → Over $400K saved by replacing a legacy system. → A year of development time avoided. → A better experience for field teams (and a stronger foundation for growth) When you enable teams with tools that adapt to them, not the other way around, you can unlock scale in unexpected ways. Modernizing operations doesn’t have to come with a massive price tag. Speed and governance don’t have to be at odds. And utility companies don’t have to settle for software that slows them down.

63

3 Comments

NRG is making a $12 billion bet on AI - and our inability to build power plants quickly enough. It is paying $12 billion for a 13 gigawatt portfolio of gas-fired power plants and a 6 gigawatt virtual power plant platform. The deal corrects NRG’s earlier mistimed pivot to retail power and services, flipping it from short generation to long, and gives it scale in two key markets, PJM and Texas. NRG wants to capitalize on rising power demand, led by the proliferation of datacenters. But it is also a bet on failure - failure to build enough generation quickly enough. Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/ezzGB6zy

74

2 Comments

The #Hopi Tribe in northeast Arizona is moving forward with a #solar and #batteryenergystorage microgrid thanks to a nearly $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The microgrid will power two water wells in a remote area. Rod Walton Microgrid Knowledge https://lnkd.in/gjBh6J3t

9

1 Comment

The founders of Lake Oswego-based StrateSea Technology, Inc have been working at “lightning speed” to get their no-code artificial intelligence platform into the hands of subsea intelligence analysts. The startup launched in January, had a product by July and now has four pilots going. https://lnkd.in/geMGsUzK

26

3 Comments

I spoke with Newsweek about the split reality that now exists for California’s climate rules SB 261 and 253 – and how many companies are evolving their focus. Robert Charles Alexander LL.B.(hons) LL.M. Int'l Law https://lnkd.in/gnHjcN3d

16

Seattle-based Interlune has struck a deal to send a helium-hunting camera to the moon aboard Astrolab's FLIP rover, which is due for launch as soon as this year. It'll be the first off-Earth step in Interlune's plan to deliver lunar helium-3 to paying customers. https://lnkd.in/gZX5KADV

38

California Pivots: Cutting CEQA Red Tape To Boost Housing & Climate Goals California has enacted significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), easing the path for urban infill housing projects. Full article: https://lnkd.in/gftfWAnn Assembly Bill 130, championed by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, exempts most multi-unit residential buildings developments in already-developed urban areas from lengthy environmental reviews. Initially passed in 1970, CEQA intended to protect the environment through thorough impact studies. Over time, however, the law increasingly became a tool for blocking or delaying beneficial housing and transit projects, often exploited by groups opposed to urban density or seeking unrelated concessions. One notable example was UC Berkeley’s student housing project in People's Park, stalled by CEQA lawsuits citing noise concerns, a case highlighting how the law could obstruct environmentally sensible urban development. The YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement, formed about a decade ago, effectively pushed back against such regulatory abuse, leading to political momentum for reform. The new legislation simplifies approvals for qualifying projects on parcels smaller than 20 acres, encouraging development in transit-accessible neighborhoods and potentially easing California's severe housing shortage. Beyond addressing housing affordability, these reforms offer substantial environmental benefits. Dense urban housing significantly cuts per-capita vehicle miles traveled, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving natural lands from suburban sprawl. Additionally, multi-unit buildings typically have lower energy and water usage per resident, further enhancing their sustainability. California's reforms align with similar moves in Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts, all aiming to combine housing affordability with environmental and climate goals through regulatory streamlining. This regulatory shift also resonates with the "Abundance" concept promoted by Ezra Klein, advocating reduced bureaucratic barriers as a pathway to greater housing and infrastructure provision. While valid criticisms remain regarding community input, labor standards, and potential displacement, California’s CEQA reform marks a pivotal step toward smart regulation, balancing growth, affordability, and environmental sustainability. Observers nationwide will closely watch the outcomes, potentially influencing future housing policy across the United States.

15

Glad to see Gov. Gavin Newsom doing this. It's critical we help storm water move underground -- not rush it out to the ocean. As I wrote in "Water Always Wins," the Valley's depleted aquifers have 3X capacity of the state’s 1400 reservoirs & costs 1/5 the price. Plus, there are many co-benefits because nature stores water underground. There, plants can access it, helping them stay hydrated and be less flammable. It supplies water to streams and rivers in the dry season, providing year-round water, supporting many forms of life, including humans. #slowwater https://lnkd.in/gcpmNbTr https://lnkd.in/gcpmNbTr

74

11 Comments