by Public News Service
A bill to promote virtual power plants goes before the California State Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee next week. Virtual power plants are networks of home energy devices like smart thermostats, stationary home batteries, and electric vehicles that can be used as power sources during peak hours, which lowers the amount of power that electric utilities have to provide.
Assemblymember John Harabedian, D-Pasadena, said virtual power plants would reduce the need to build costly transmission lines and polluting natural gas plants.
“This bill, really in utilizing virtual power plants, is about affordability and reliability and sustainability. It’s a cost-saving measure, and it’s also an easier way to meet demand throughout the state during peak hours,” he explained.
At least 300,000 Californians are already getting paid as part of the Demand Side Grid Support program, agreement that allows the utilities to pull power stored in their smart devices’ batteries to power their home.
Harabedian said Assembly Bill 740 would direct the California Energy Commission to make plans to expand the use of virtual power plants, following the success of a pilot program.
“It has prevented blackouts. It has delivered over 500 megawatts of capacity, about the same as three gas peaker plants, and has saved millions of dollars already,” he continued. “So, the pilot program has been undeniably successful. We just need to scale it.”
A recent study found that virtual power plants could save California residents $750 million per year in traditional power system costs. Some are concerned that utilities may earn less money if the programs expand. So far, there is no registered opposition to the bill.
Advocates promote CA bill to raise school funding targets 50 percent over 10 years
A new bill in Sacramento would dramatically raise K-12 school funding targets by 50 percent over ten years. Assembly Bill 477 is intended to help districts raise educators’ pay, to attract more people to the profession and keep them there.
Grace Consentino is a middle-school science teacher in Novato.
“My commute every day is a total of one hour and 30 minutes. I would love to be able to live in the town that I work in, but I live in a separate county because the cost of living is so high,” she said. “This is why teachers leave.”
A recent study on the state of education in California found one in three new educators is seriously thinking about leaving, mostly because of low pay. The bill would hike the local control funding formula.
Opponents say they are concerned about cost. The Assembly Appropriations Committee has not yet completed a fiscal analysis.
Dannel Montesano is a longtime attendance clerk in the Galt Joint Union School District.
“Starting paraprofessional pay in my district is $18.63 an hour, while down the street at McDonald’s, the starting pay is over $20 an hour. So, our schools are suffering from constant turnover and staffing issues,” Montesano said.
California is bracing for a big hit to the state budget, as tax receipts are expected to be lower. In addition, Congress has proposed billions in cuts to Medi-Cal. And the administration has threatened to pull federal funding from schools that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.
Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, sponsored the bill, which went before the Assembly Education Committee on Wednesday.
“The Trump administration is attempting to dismantle public education and defund our schools. California must fight back to defend public education,” he said.
