Wind turbines spin at the Ocotillo facility in Imperial County. Photo by Chris Stone
The scorching 10-day heat wave that Southern California endured had one unexpected benefit — it proved that the state can successfully manage the transition to clean energy.
Despite record demand for electricity, rolling blackouts were avoided thanks to careful management of supplies by the California Independent System Operator and sophisticated participation by residents.
Typical of this management was the first use of four emergency generators installed by the Department of Water Resources in Roseville and Yuba City. They were turned on Monday to add 120 megawatts — enough for 120,000 homes — to the grid.
The fact is, the days of brute-force power generation with giant coal-burning plants are numbered. There’s still a role for nuclear, which is carbon free, but widespread…