A Perspective on Energy Challenges in California

Themes	Energy and the Environment
Emphases	Sensors and Embedded Systems

November 20, 2009: 11:00am - 11:00am
Location: Banatao Auditorium, 3rd floor, Sutardja Dai Hall, UC Berkeley

Ron Hofmann [Senior Advisor, CIEE]

These talks are free, open to the public and broadcast live on-line at mms ://media.citris.berkeley.edu/webcast the day and time of the event. Questions can be sent via Yahoo IM to username: citrisevents.

The full seminar schedule for the fall can be found at http://www.citris-uc.org/events/i4e-fall2009

Please note that all CITRIS Talks can now be viewed on youtube.com/citris

Abstract:

In 1996, California deregulated its wholesale electricity market and left it up to the regulated investor-owned utilities to manage retail electricity costs for consumers. Four years later, this paradigm fell apart in large measure because consumers had no incentive and timely mechanisms to reduce load when electricity supply prices began to rise.

Mr. Hofmann will provide a brief overview of the California electricity crisis of 2000-2001, a history of what the PIER program has been funding in demand response over the past 8 years, and a perspective on California's energy challenges going forward.

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